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Specials and Events

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

The San Pedro Sun

Soca Superstar Machel Montano visits San Pedro
39-year-old Trinidadian soca superstar, Machel Montano is in San Pedro enjoying the island before his big concert in Belize City. Machel, along with his entourage were spotted having lunch at Elvi’s Kitchen on Friday, September 19th. While in San Pedro, Machel is looking forward to experiencing the island’s top attraction, snorkeling. Machel is well known across the world for his energetic and up beat rhythms.This will be his third visit to Belize; his first performance was back in 1998. Machel also made a performance in 2005 as a UNICEF Youth Ambassador. The King of Soca will be the featured performance at the first ever Belize Soca and Jazz Festival, scheduled to take place on Independence Eve, Saturday, September 20th at Hour Bar. Machel will be delighting the crowd with top hits like “Ministry of the Road” and “Epic”.

SPTC visits island school as part of National Service Day
The San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) celebrated the 3rd Annual National Service Day by visiting the island schools and giving the students a small gift. National Service Daye is held in honor of National Hero and Father of the Nation, Right Honorable George Cadle Price who believed that serving other brings happiness to oneself. Activities commenced a day early on Thursday, September 18th with Mayor Daniel Guerrero, Deputy Mayor Gabriel Nuñez along with Councilor Mito Paz and United Democratic Party (UDP) Town Council candidates Gary Grief and Hector “Tito” Alamilla visiting all pre-schools. The cuties received the gift of an exercise blank, pencil and sharper, basic tools needed in school. The children were delighted for the visit and happily received the school supplies.

OMG, It’s Froyo!
I am pleased to announce that San Pedro Town has a new delicious addiction, FROYO! YoMama offers a variety of frozen yogurt flavors (my personal favorites being mango and coconut) topped with an array of delicious treats. The topping bar consists for everything from rice crispies to fresh fruits and of course chocolate chips. Feel free to mix and match flavors, or keep it simple, whatever pleases your taste buds. The price of you froyo is determined by the weight.

Eight aspiring bartenders graduate from Flair and Mixology Course
On Tuesday, September 16th, the Belize Institute of Mixology (BIM) graduated its first class of eight students from an introductory bartending course. Luis Velasquez, founder of BIM, along with award winning Mixologist Fermin Cho, held the course in an effort to improve bartending skills in Belize’s Tourism Industry. The course taught participants basic flair and mixology skills, including cocktail preparation and garnishing. Bartending Course Institute of Mixology Kama Lounge-2A short ceremony was held at the end of the course to recognize those that completed the course. The proud graduates are Justin Alamina, Karissa Young, Cindy Vigna, Shahina Godoy, Javier Briceno, Abriam Lopez, Alfredo Tun and Pablo Mendoza. Each participant received a certificate of completion.

Ambergris Today

Belize’s Isla Bonita Telenovela Available for Purchase Online
After a very successful premier on the island of Ambergris Caye, Belize, the first episode of the country’s first telenovela (soap opera) is now available for purchase via Vimeo-On-Demand and online streaming from anywhere in the world! Island residents have one last chance to catch Episode 1 of the Isla Bonita Telenovelas this weekend at the Paradise Theater in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. Showing dates and time include Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 7p.m. ($15 adults, $12 children). Don't miss it! After the final weekend showing in San Pedro, it is expected that the telenovela showings will move inland with venues and dates to be announced shortly. It has been announced that it will show next week at the Bliss Institute of Performing Arts theater in Belize City. Visit The Isla Bonita website to purchase Episode 1 online; your rental supports the production of future episodes. http://www.islabonita.bz/

Misc Belizean Sources

Perspective of our Past Historical Lecture Series
One week from today the House of Culture begins the annual Perspective of our Past Historical Lecture Series. Join us Thursday September 25th at 7 pm as we capture the historical essence of Belize's premier fishing village- Sarteneja with historian Mr. Jorge Verde.

National Service Day
Happy National Service Day! Today we celebrate the life of George Price by giving back to the community in which we live. They are cleaning up around the George Price Centre. "Some volunteers coming out and started National Service Day with a blast!!! Special thanks for the Boy Scouts in Belmopan for a wonderful flag raising ceremony and volunteering their time and energy in helping to make the Centre more beautiful!!! "

Belize Weather Patterns
It may come as no surprise that the weather is very complex and variable.. . . . Belize comes under the influence of about five different weather patterns at different times of the year. There are the ITCZ flare-ups that can bring heavy rains, between around June to September. . . . .We also get the so called "Tropical Waves" which bring wet and windy conditions in from the Caribbean. . . . .We get Cold Fronts coming down from the North, mainly between late October, through into early April. . . . . It may appear odd, but typically, for much of the year, our prevailing wind is from the SW, that is from the Pacific, over Guatemala, OK that is a higher level wind, not the surface wind, except in the early morning, and sometimes late at night, which has been called the "Tiger Wind" by some old Belizeans, because it appears to start up in the evening, coming down from the Mountains.

Ambassadors Arrive in Belize for Independence Celebrations
Three visiting ambassadors and two high commissioners have arrived in Belize for the Independence Day Celebrations. They are H.E. Mrs. Beata Wojna, Ambassador of the Republic of Poland; H.E. Mr. Kim Byong-Seop, Ambassador of the Republic of South Korea; H.E. Mr. Munjed Saleh, Ambassador of the State of Palestine; H.E. Ms. Sandra Grant-Griffiths, High Commissioner of Jamaica and H.E. Ms. Clare Kelly, High Commissioner of New Zealand. (7 photos)

NATIONAL SERVICE DAY
Today we celebrate NATIONAL SERVICE DAY and NATIONAL COLOURS DAY to commemorate the Father of the Nation and National Hero, Rt. Hon. George Cadle Price.

Belize turns 33 this weekend - 9/21/2014 (48 photos)
Independence celebration in our small village today.

Connecting Homes, Improving Lives Launched
An official launch ceremony was held on Thursday, September 18 for the Connecting Homes, Improving Lives project, an initiative geared at improving the quality of life of Belizeans via the installation of 1,000 free service entrance connections for low-income Belizean households. A service entrance is the basic infrastructure required for getting safe and proper connection to power supply from Belize Electricity Limited (BEL). Connecting Homes, Improving Lives arose out of a tripartite venture in 2011 between the European Union (EU), the Government of Belize (GOB) and BEL with a grant contract funding the electrification of over 40 rural communities in the country through the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of Countries (ACP) – EU Energy Facility II Grant Funds. At the end of the process, more than half of residents were unable to take advantage of the electrification in their community, as they could not afford the cost of installing a service entrance, which normally runs from $800 to $1,200 dollars.

Benque Children's Rally
There were a lot of parades yesterday, and Benque had their Children's Rally. They have a video of the Alvin Young Nazarene High School jamming during the event.

Channel 7

Saldivar Stunned by Coye Suit, Gives Emotional Interview
Claim number 518 of 2014 - that's the number of the lawsuit Melonie Coye and her attorney Eamon Courtenay have filed against Arthur Saldivar. She makes a claim for nine hundred and four thousand, seven hundred and forty dollars - which she says he was supposed to take to her home on June 12th, 2013 - but never did. The filing says, Saldivar, quote, "refused to return the monies…and instead has since kept it for his own use." Now, we've been reporting on this pending lawsuit for over a month - and it was finally filed yesterday. So, it didn't exactly catch us off guard. But, very surprisingly, it does seem to have caught Saldivar on his heels. Today, his agents called us for an interview where he expressed, shock, disappointment, sadness, and yes, even tears, that it had come to this. We're sure you're saying, "tears?" That can't be Arthur Saldivar! After all, he's always so brassy, bold and often arrogant in his TV appearances. But today he showed a much more human side. It seems the weight of the lawsuit, combined with the symbolism of National Service Day, which is commemorate the passing of PUP founder George Price, had Saldivar in a pensive mood. And he shared his thoughts with us:

Church Gets Injunction Against Alkaline
Jamaican dancehall artist, Earlan Bartley, who is better known as Alkaline, landed in Belize yesterday for a concert in Cayo and Dangriga. He's supposed to be the next big headline event for the 20th Night. But, tonight, the concert is in jeopardy because of a late move to pull the venue. The concert was scheduled to be held at Sacred Heart College in San Ignacio. That's a Catholic run school, and Alkaline's often outrageous, violent and sexually explicit lyrics caught the ear of the Catholic Church in Belize. Today, a Press Release was sent from the office of Bishop Dorick Wright and the Catholic Diocese of Belize City and Belmopan. In the release, the Bishop strongly condemned the decision to have such a concert on the grounds of a catholic school, calling it, quote, "...a serious error in judgement." End quote.

Is Your Belizean Flag Fake?
Every year on Independence eve, we hoist the Belizean Flag marking another year of nationhood. But when the flag goes up tonight, look at the coat of arms closely - the men on it should look brown and black. If they don't - then that means even officialdom has been overtaken by the fake flag syndrome. Fake flags, you say? It's real, alright, and Courtney Weatherburne has been investigating:.. Inez Sanchez and the late Everal Waight won $500 dollars as a team in 1981 for coming up with the flag design. So do you want to know if your flag is real? Well, as you have heard from the designer, one man should be black and the other brown. The 'yellow' man should have no place on the Belizean flag.

Chinese Businessman Kills Robber In Orange Walk
An alleged robber was killed in Orange Walk Town this afternoon. It happened at 3:05 pm right in front of the Town Hospital - in plain view of dozens of drivers and pedestrians. Eyewitnesses say that a Chinese business owner shot a man as he was riding off - allegedly from a robbery. The businessman had a nine-millimeter pistol and shot the alleged robber right off his bicycle on the wide intersection in front of the hospital. Eyewitnesses confirm that after the man went tumbling off his bike, the business man then walked up to him on the ground and shot him twice more. The man lay gasping on the ground and the Chinese man then started to kick him in the head. He then walked off - and an ambulance came - but as the emergency technicians. put him in the stretcher he took his last breath.

National Hero Price Remembered On Nat'l Service Day
Today is National Service Day - the day established to mark the passing of National Hero George Price in 2011. All across Belize, civic-minded citizens, groups and companies engaged in different forms of public service - in the truest spirit of Mr. Price. The PUP started the day with their annual wreath laying ceremony at his burial site on Lord's Ridge Cemetery. He was remembered by his followers and his family:.. Henry Usher, PUP Chairman "This the 3rd anniversary of the passing of the Rt. Hon. George Price, our uncle and Susie's brother and in this anniversary as in every year we must reflect in what we are and who we are as a country and what want to achieve going forward." Rt. Hon. Said Musa "And as he said in one of his poems 'Little people have tried and turned away, nation building is task for giants and you little people who are here with us today will one day become giants when you become nation builders.'"

PUP Back-Pedals On Protest - Money Problems?
And while the party Celebrated the life and service of George Price, they turn their attention to next week when they celebrate the anniversary of the party's founding - which happened at the Price family home. To commemorate the day, the party will have a National Party Council meeting in Belmopan. Weeks ago, plans were being made for a mass protest against the UDP government. Our reports said that that party wanted to bus in a crowd of ten thousand, with a budget well over one hundred thousand dollars. Then, because money was scarce that was pared down to one thousand from each of the four caucuses countrywide - and now, it's just an NPC meeting with 7 persons from each division.

PUP Supports Anti Crime Initiative, Not GSU
And while we had Fonseca this morning, we also asked him about his views on crime and government's decision - in the face of so much controversy - to bolster the numbers of the officers in the Gang Suppression Unit. Fonseca says he supports getting tough on crime, but not doing it with the GSU:.. Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the Opposition "Gang violence is a serious problem. Crime and violence obviously is ravaging our society particularly south side of Belize City, so we consider that a very serious matter and as I have always said to Mr. Barrow both publicly and privately when we meet the People's Unity Party is here to support this work of the government in fighting crime, but we have to review the functions and performance and role of the GSU as it presently exist and I believe we need to replace it with another security force which can begin anew and regain the confidence and trust of the Belizean people." And this evening on 7News, Fonseca surely got some good news when he heard that Arthur Saldivar would, quote "not be doing anything to harm his party." And so now the PUP won't be going through trials and tribulations - but, you never know. While Saldivar was contrite and emotional today, he could be back truculent and belligerent tomorrow. We spoke to his party leader this morning - before the Saldivar reversal - about the what if's: what if he runs independent, and what if he challenges the party executive. Here's what Fonseca had to say:..

"Robbery" Charged, Along With Other Prominent Gang Figures
The biggest news this week has been the spree of shootings, which happened on Wednesday night, believed to be retaliation by George Street for the death of Cyril McFoy Robinson, the father of Brandon Tillett, known as "BT", one of the affiliates of George Street. Well tonight, one of the major players of the George Street Gang is at prison tonight after he was charged with firearm offences. We told you on Monday that at the end of Juveey on last week Saturday, shots were fired at the corner of Douglas Jones Street and New Road. Police say that 28 year-old Kareem Lopez, better known as Robbery, was the trigger man. He was charged with discharging a firearm in public, and he was arraigned today before the Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith.

Five Years For Firearm
Rafael Usher is at prison tonight serving out a 5 year sentence after he was convicted of firearm offences today. The incident occurred around 10:20 p.m. on June 3, 2011. Two police officers testified that they responded to a report of shots being fired on Matura Street and while they were on Gill Street they saw Usher riding a pink beach cruiser bicycle coming towards their vehicle. They said that when they spotted Usher and searched him they found a sawed-off shotgun tucked his waist. It had one cartridge in the chamber, and when the officers continued to search him, they found another cartridge on one of his pockets. They subsequently charged him with keeping a prohibited firearm, and keeping prohibited ammunition.

Community Service Means Removing Graffiti
Earlier on, we told you about National Service Day. Well, the Belize City Police Eastern Division along with the Belize City Council and students of Wesley College did their part by painting over graffiti on walls around the city neighborhoods. We caught up with the 30 students, 18 police officers and 15 Belize City council staff members through Majestic Alley. Douglas Hyde - Eastern Division Public Relation Officer "The police department specifically eastern division along with Wesley College, along with the Belize City Council have partnered today for National Service Day and one of the efforts that we literally embarked on is to have the young people which is 30 of them along with police officers, we have 18 of them and 20 members of the staff of Belize City Council to paint over all graffiti's in Belize City and we've literally look at all the areas, hot spot areas and basically we are going to cover these graffiti's with beautiful colors and the idea of this is to continue this work, not only today but after this to have a competition within the neighborhoods of doing moral, showing or depicting positive messages in the area of positive graffiti's and pictures within their area."

Children Learn Nationalist Lessons At School Rally
And while the high schoolers were doing national service, the primary schoolers were at the Annual Children's Day Rally at Birds Isle. It was postponed last Friday as a result of the rain but the children were ready to go today - and why not, it's a holiday and a chance to get out of the classroom. But, more than just a fun outing, Dr. Carol Babb said the event is impactful:.. Dr. Carol Babb "It has been very successful over the years. We've been having it for many years, more years than I can remember, but we get the children together and we try to focus on important topics such as patriotism; the focus this morning was on patriotism. We want to instill in these young people the love of country and we talk to them about ways that they can demonstrate patriotism." "This morning I must tell you that they were extremely attentive. We never once had to ask them to be quite. We also had this young man who is a motivational speaker, a 12 year old - Anthony and he really engaged them and he inspired them and he motivated them and I look at their faces and I saw them watching intently and so I believe we are making some impact on the way that we want them to go."

Mayor Makes Plans For City Celebrations
And while children got to wave their flags today, on Sunday, Belizeans all across the country will get to celebrate independence. In Belize City that means an all daY street fest after the official parade. The mayor told us what to expect.

Mayor: Sale Of Alcohol Not Prohibited
And while the Independence Day Bram should be a fun filled event, some vendors are not too happy. That is because they applied for a license to sell liquor at Sunday's event but were denied and told liquor will only be sold at the Pier One Bar or a Bowen and Bowen Bar inside the BTL park. Today the Mayor told 7news news that's not the case. He explained. The Independence Day Bram starts at 11am on Sunday morning and ends at 6pm.

NICH Celebrates Video Stars
And to coincide with the celebrations, for the past month and a half, NICH has been hosting a competition where patriots create and post a 3 to 5 minute video illustrating their love for country. It's an interesting social experiment where the contestants make use of youtube and Facebook to market themselves and earn views and today, the NICH's Institute of Social and Cultural Research announced the winning 4 entries. Today, we spoke with each of winners and the contest organizers. Here's what they told us: Janessa Teck won $1000 for her first place entry, while Vanessa Edwards won $700. Kyraan Gabourel won $500 for his third place entry, and he also won viewers choice because he got the most views on Facebook and YouTube.

ACC Raises Its Flag
And while those 3 contestants showed the most outstanding form of patriotism with technology, the Anglican Cathedral College has been consistently displaying their love of country for the past 31 years - they started one year after independence. They made number 32 today with their flag raising ceremony, and we stopped by to see their Independence Rally. Here's what the Anglican Bishop told us about the event: Bishop Phillip Wright, Chairman, Board of Governors - ACC "Every year we've done it, probably for last 32 years since we came into existence as ACC and I think it's a fairly simple way in trying to instill in the students a sense of patriotism, but also the fact that we have a lot of reasons to celebrate and give God thanks for a beautiful land he has given us." Daniel Ortiz "Tell us about today's particular event, some of the things which were different from last year and years before?"

Channel 5

Interim Injunction to Stop Alkaline Concert at Sacred Heart College Granted
Late this evening, representatives of the Roman Catholic Church rushed to the Supreme Court seeking an interim injunction to stop a concert that is planned for this Independence holiday weekend [...]

Promoter Says Show Must Go On
The promoter behind the Alkaline concert is Martin Castillo of Marine Sounds. Castillo was taken by surprise at the church’s stance and late this evening when we contacted him by [...]

Orange Walk Bandido Shot Dead By Store Owner
A man who robbed a store in Orange Walk at gunpoint is tonight at the Northern Regional Hospital morgue after he was fatally shot by the proprietor. That man, Leslie [...]

Brandon Tillett in Court for Attempted Murder
    Following a spade of violence in which three persons were murdered in a matter of hours on Wednesday, the Prime Minister met with the police top brass and [...]

Kareem Lopez, aka “Robbery,” remanded for causing public terror
  Police are holding a third person behind bars presumably to stop further mayhem on the streets. He is Kareem Lopez, aka Robbery, who was charged today for causing public [...]

Is the P.M.’s Position on Enforcing Anti-Gang Laws a Double Standard?
Reeling from an explosive surge of gangland violence which resulted in three murders and multiple casualties in a matter of hours, Prime Minister Dean Barrow on Thursday announced that Police [...]

Audrey Matura-Shepherd on Preventative Detention
Preventative Detention – the proposed amendment to the constitution was the cause of fiery debate, controversy and contention. So much so that Prime Minister Dean Barrow backed down from the [...]

George Price Remembered 3 Years Later
The Father of the Nation, George Price was remembered today across the country. September nineteenth, the day on which he passed away three years ago, has been set aside as [...]

National Service Day is celebrated
The Eastern Division of the Belize City Police Department, Wesley College and the City Council partnered today to clear graffiti from walls and fences and to clean garbage from certain [...]

Francis Fonseca Says Throwing Money at Crime Problem Won’t Work
This morning, the leader of the Opposition, Francis Fonseca, was asked about the current crisis as it relates to crime. While Fonseca says the opposition is ready to work with [...]

P.U.P.’s Decision to Oust Arthur Saldivar Stands, Says Party Leader
As you know, the P.U.P. will be seeking a new standard bearer for Belize Rural North. Arthur Saldivar was removed on Wednesday after serious allegations were made against him and [...]

Penner and Saldivar Juxtaposed, Fonseca Says It’s Absolutely Crazy
Francis Fonseca also responded to a comment made by the Minister of Immigration, Godwin Hulse, who likened the Penner passport scandal to the Arthur Saldivar debacle. Fonseca says that Hulse’s [...]

Why does the Police Department Wait for D.P.P.’s Office Before Charging Criminals?
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is severely backlogged with a number of criminal cases.  In fact, the bottleneck has seen files proceed through to the courts at [...]

Why Aren’t Known Gang Members Charged for Gang Affiliation
P.M. Barrow during that press conference also conceded that the police department, as well as the local media, is very much familiar with the names of well-known gang members and [...]

Children’s Rally Draws Thousands
The annual Children’s Rally was to be held last week Friday in Belize City, but due to the inclement weather it was postponed. That is until today, when primary school [...]

ACC Raises Flag in Honor of Independence Day
Back in 1982 on September twenty-seventh, St. Hilda’s and St. Michael’s high schools in Belize City amalgamated to become the Anglican Cathedral College located on downtown Albert Street in Belize [...]

Belize at 33: Sedi Elrington Looks Back
The thirty-third anniversary of Belize’s independence will be officially celebrated in Belmopan on Sunday.  With the nation’s birthday less than four days away, we asked Minister Sedi Elrington to reflect [...]

LOVE FM

Five Years for Firearm and Ammunition Charges
Rafael Usher, charged with kept a prohibited firearm and kept ammunition without a gun license, was found guilty of both charges today by Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser. Usher was sentenced to three years for the firearm and five years for the ammunition. The sentences are to run concurrently, so he will only serve five years. The incident occurred around 10:20 p.m. on June 3, 2011. Two police officers testified that they received information of a shooting on Matura Street. They said that while they were on Gill Street and were proceeding to Matura Street, they saw Usher riding a pink beach cruiser bicycle coming towards their vehicle. They said they stopped Usher and when they searched him they found a sawed-off shotgun in the waist of his pants. They said they also found a cartridge in the shotgun and another cartridge in the pocket of his pants. Usher testified and denied that he had the shotgun and cartridges. He said the police found the shotgun and cartridges in an open lot.

Robber Shot By Business Owner
A robbery this afternoon in front of the Northern Regional Hospital in Orange Walk Town ended when a store owner fatally shot one of two robbers. Arturo Cantun reports. ARTURO CANTUN “A young man of creole descent is dead after he tried to rob Hung Yun Store on Otro Benque Rd. in Orange Walk Town. The robbery happened around 3:15 this afternoon when the Chinese store had at least three patrons shopping. “ ARTURO CANTUN “Details of what exactly happened are still sketchy but so far LOVE NEWS understands the two men were in store pretending to do some shopping. As one of the customers exited the store, the robber of creole descent approached the counter, pushed the female shop attendant, open the cash register, took and undisclosed amount of money and handed it over to his accomplice. The other robber, who is of Hispanic descent, then quickly ran out of the store and fled from the scene on a bicycle.” LOVE NEWS spoke to an eye witness who was in the store two minutes before the shots rang out and explains the two robbers were inside the store while he was shopping.

PUP’s Leader Opposes Museum Concept
The social media has been a forum where concerns, complaints and opinions are penned regarding several issues ranging from politics, social ills, economics to personal matters. This past Tuesday, Love News brought to you the statement of disapproval documented by the former President of the National Institute for Culture and History, Yasser Musa regarding the project of having the House of Culture on Regent Street in Belize City be turned into a cultural museum. Musa, who can be considered a cultural activist, was quite vocal on the matter, calling the idea, “mentally sick” and “a retrograde, racist and disturbing development”. Musa ended his statement by calling on the People’s United Party to, “reject the project for its rank disrespect to our resistance heritage.” Well, today, Fonseca told the media that they are in agreement with Musa. FRANCIS FONSECA “I completely agree with Yasser. I think it’s a foolhardy decision. I have not obviously been briefed on the project by the Government or by the Ministry of Tourism or Culture but certainly I know as a former Minister of Culture that, that is not the direction in which we want it to take. Culture and the museums, we had plans for the museums and establishing a better National Museum but that is certainly not the direction of somehow honoring the glory of the Baymen which seems to be at the center of this project.

American Charged For Excess Time in Belize
22-year-old American national, Kalen Nessel, who apparently fell in love with Belize and violated the conditions of his visitor’s permit, was fined $1,000 today by Magistrate Dale Cayetano after he pled guilty to failure to comply with the conditions of his visitor’s permit. Nessel was ordered to pay the fine forthwith and a removal order was granted for his deportation to the United States. Nessel paid the fine. He said he was not aware that his visitor’s permit was up. He promised to return to Belize. Nesssel arrived in Belize on July 1 and he was given a permit to stay until July 30. He was at the Phillip Goldson International Airport yesterday getting ready to fly home when two immigration officers, acting on information they received went to the airport and Nessel and his passport were handed over to them. When the officers checked Nessel’s passport they found that he had not renewed his permit.

Belize Listed as A Major Drug Transit And/Or Producing Country
Belize is one of four CARICOM countries named among several Latin and Caribbean major drug transit and or major illicit drug producing countries. The other countries are Jamaica, Haiti and the Bahamas. According to a statement from the White House, a country’s presence on the list is not a reflection of its government’s counternarcotic efforts or level of cooperation with the United States. But it said that the reason major drug transit or illicit drug producing countries are placed on the list is the combination of geographic, commercial, and economic factors that allow drugs to transit or be produced, even if a government has carried out the most diligent narcotics control law enforcement measures. The other countries listed are Afghanistan, Bolivia, Burma, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Laos, Mexico, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela.

John Doe Found Dead on Highway
Orange Walk Police are asking for assistance in identifying the body of a man found yesterday on the San Lorenzo Road. According to reports sometime around three o’clock yesterday afternoon Police responded to reports where they saw the dark complexion male person with injuries to the head and body. The body was found on the shoulder of the road in the bushes. He was dressed in a grey and black Polo shirt with the logo Air Jet. He was wearing a khaki pants and white Nike tennis shoes. He has a white beard and curly grey brown hair with no identification card or distinguishing marks. The body was taken to the Northern Regional Hospital Morgue. Police believe he was the victim of a hit and run incident.

Opposition Leader Says Money Is Not The Solution
In response to the rise in gang violence and the multiple shooting incidents that have transpired over the last 48 hours, the Prime Minister, Dean Barrow joined the high ranks of the Belize Police Department in a press briefing in an attempt to restore some sense of security in the citizenry via the revelation of steps that the Government will be taking in order to tackle the surge in street violence. One of the revelations included the increase in budget for the Police Department….for some it may seem as a way towards alleviation if not elimination but not for the Opposition Leader, Francis Fonseca, who told the media today that money will not solve the crisis. FRANCIS FONSECA “Throwing more money at the problem does not seem to be working. Again we do not seem to be dealing with the root causes of crime. There are initiatives that we support in terms of trying to provide employment for some of these gang members. There are initiatives like that, that we support but throwing more money at the problem does not seem to be working. Again investing more in education, we believe in investing more in some of these social programs but again the root causes are what we have to address.”

Graveside Visit and Remembrances of Uncle George
Officials, supporters, members of the People’s United Party along with students of St. Martin’s de Porres Primary School gathered at the grave site of the late Right Honorable George Cadle Price this morning for a wreath laying ceremony. Today marks three years since Price, Belize’s first Premiere and Prime Minister passed away. According to the current leader of the PUP, Francis Fonseca, the party has put more focus on remembering the country’s great leader. FRANCIS FONSECA “We have put a greater effort into organizing our tribute to Mr. Price. So that is a part of it but I also think it’s a reflection of the times we are living in. Increasingly people are remembering and reflecting on the leadership of Mr. Price and remembering how much he stood for unity in our nation at a time in 2014 when we seem to be so divided on so many issues. So I think that even in our own party and the wider society there is a sense of longing for George Price’s leadership, his commitment to Belize that seems to be lacking today in 2014. I think that in and of itself generates more interest, more people wanting to come out, wanting to pay tribute to Mr. Price and so I think that is what you see but as I said we have placed a greater emphasis on organizing this activity that people come out and pay respect to our great leader George Price.”

Tracey Says He Didn’t Assault Cop Nor Did He Escape
Twenty-seven year old Robert Tracey, who was released from prison less than a month ago, was charged with several offences when he appeared today before the Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith. The charges included assaulting a police officer, possession of controlled drugs and escape form lawful custody. Tracey pled not guilty to the charges. He was offered a bail of 500 dollars and his case was adjourned until November 7. The incident occurred yesterday in the “Gungulung” area of Belize City.Police Constable Howard West reported that Tracey assaulted him when he accosted Tracey and Police Constable Eber Depaz reported that Tracey escaped from him. The police also reported that Tracey had two grams of cannabis in his possession. Tracey said that nothing of what the police alleged occurred.

PUP Will Have Standard Bearer Installed for BRN By Year’s End
The removal of Arthur Saldivar as Standard Bearer for the Belize Rural North came as a shock for many as the news hit the media this past Wednesday…..but by now, the news has sunk in for many and the People’s United Party has now thrown the matter behind them and is looking to forge on and put their house back in order in the Belize Rural North. Today, Fonseca was asked to comment on Saldivar’s statements being made following his removal including, that he, Fonseca is unfit to be the party leader. FRANCIS FONSECA “Anybody who is removed will not be happy with the leader and so I have no comment on that. We did what we believe is in the best interest of the People’s United Party at this time and ultimately we believe in the best interest of Belize and that decision was taken not just by Francis Fonseca, that decision was taken by the National Executive of the People’s United Party and that decision stands. We have work to do and we have to get rid of a UDP government that is destroying this country and that is what we are focused on and we will not allow anyone to divert us from that objective.

Catholic Bishop Condemns Alkaline’s Upcoming Concert in Belize
The announcement of Alkaline’s visit to Belize began circulating some months ago, particularly among the youths and the Dancehall followers. Well, after much anticipation by his fans, the dancehall artist is in the country and is getting ready to perform in San Ignacio at the Sacred Heart College’s auditorium. While his presence and upcoming performance is not an issue for many, the Bishop of the Catholic Church fired a release out to the media houses earlier today. His point of contention was the fact that Sacred Heart College, which falls under the umbrella of the Catholic Diocese had rented out its facilities to a dancehall artist, saying, “this event presents a grave moral danger to the socially fragile and impressionable youth of the college and those from all over Belize who will attend.” The Bishop’s release continued saying that he had done some research on the World Wide Web and was shocked at some revelations.

Winners of Patriotic Belize Facebook Video Competition
A special awards ceremony took place today in recognition of the three winners of the: Patriotic Belize Facebook Video Competition. The purpose of the competition was for people to express and demonstrate their love for Belize in a creative manner through a social network. Director for Institute of Social and Cultural Research, Nigel Encalada spoke of the details of the competition. “In terms of the details the competition was a simple concept, social media is where everybody meets currently and so we thought that a way of trying to form an experiment to see if people would use social media to demonstrate patriotism and love for country so we came up with the idea along with BTB and the National Celebrations commission that people could make entries on Facebook using any art form.

New Painting Project As Part Of Service Day
In related news, the Police Department worked in collaboration with Wesley College and the Belize City council. Police Public Relations Coordinator Douglas Hyde, explained the initiative. PPRC DOUGLAS HYDE “We’ve identified places in Belize City in communities that have graffiti. What we have done is with the thirty persons from Wesley College, twenty staff from Belize City Council and eighteen police officers, we’ve collaborated along with the community to paint over these graffiti and we’ve used the color white first as the base of it and next week and the week after we will be using beautiful colors to beautify the community and by the end of October what we want to do is throw a community competition where these same graffiti specialists as we call them, will be invited to instead of doing negative graffiti, we want them to send positive messages through the graffiti itself. This will be awarded with first, second and third place for showing best skill of positive message in their community. The idea is definitely doing community service today and so the police along with Wesley College students and the Belize City Council staff decided to take advantage of the National Service Day and of course to come and cover these graffiti as part of the service of doing things and volunteering.”

Saldivar’s Removal Debated on Social Media
Following yesterday’s announcement of the removal of Arthur Saldivar as the Belize Rural North Standard Bearer for the People’s United Party there has been a wave of expressed conflicting emotions not only on the ground in the rural constituency but also on the social media. While some active members on the social page has expressed their approval on the move carried out by the People’s United Party, the harsh criticisms seem to far outweigh the voices of approval….some saying that the opposition party acted in desperation to prove to the public that they have reformed….while one PUP stalwart, wrote, “Some in the PUP call yesterday’s event political reform, I see it as the beginning of political deform in the PUP. The move yesterday can best be described as cannibalistic”……a posting on the social media page also spoke of Saldivar as being the party’s sacrificial lamb…..

PlusTV

A violent night in Belize City; seven shot and two dead
Wednesday afternoon’s murder of 56 year old Cyril McFoy Robinson would not, in ordinary circumstances, inspire retaliation. But when you are the father of a key member of a criminal gang which inspires fear in many hearts, then Belize City residents could expect to fear the worst. In the span of a ...

KHMH activates Mass Casualty Plan due to murderous Wednesday night
Due to the six gunshot causalities that all happened around the same time, the strain was also felt at the Karl Heusner Memorial hospital’s Accident and Emergency Department...

Police target quick response team to crime spike
On Thursday afternoon, following a meeting between Police High Command and Prime Minister Dean Barrow, as well as Acting Minister of National Security Anthony “Boots” Martinez, there was a briefing held at the Racoon Street Police Station. Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie outlined the Department’...

Prime Minister calls for gang related laws to be enforcement
Prime Minister Dean Barrow is no stranger to national security as a former Minister and Attorney General. But even then, he never presided over a period of incidents as brazen and in-your-face as what has been happening...

5 year old allegedly sodomized in primary school bathroom
Reliable reports inform us that there was an act of an indecent nature, at a school in the San Martin Area Belmopan. Sources allege that during school hours, a 5 year old boy from Kush Lin Ha Primary School, located in San Martin, was sodomized inside the boys’ bathroom when he went to use it. Pol...

Acres of Toledo rice farms damaged due to flooding
Rice Farmers in the Toledo district are facing extreme loss, after the recent heavy rains caused flooding in the district. One Farmer, Ben Romero, spoke to our colleagues at PGTV, and said that as much as 35 acres of his rice fields are under water. That is some one hundred thousand pounds of rice...

Launch of project for free electricity hook up
In 2011 an agreement was signed between the European Union and the Government of Belize to expand the electricity grid to 43 rural communities across the country. But though it was more accessible , many people were still unable to connect due to the high cost of the service entrance...

Bert Vasquez back in court
Bert Vasquez, the man believed to have kidnapped and murdered 13 year old Jasmine Lowe, of Santa Elena, Cayo, was arraigned at the Magistrate’s court in San Ignacio on Tuesday earlier this week. In June 2012, Vasquez was arraigned on charges based on the complaint of 13 girls, all from the District ...

Perfilio Rodriquez back in court; this time for burglary
Perfilio Rodriguez, a transvestite who goes by the name of Vanessa Champagne Paris, made his way into the public spotlight in early April 2014, when he was allegedly attacked by an angry mob, who followed him as he dressed in woman’s clothing, and was walking along Vernon Street, Belize City. Then o...

Two women charged for using found ATM card
A court prosecutor is out $910 because the persons who found his lost automatic teller machine (ATM) card refused to return it, despite his warnings, and dishonestly obtained money using it...

Belmopan’s Got Talent; another September Celebrations event
Celebrations and activities leading up to the 21^st of September continue across the nation. On Wednesday night, September 17, The Belmopan City Council’s Celebration put on the first ever “Belmopan’s Got Talent” exhibition, where schools from Belmopan and surrounding areas showcased their students’ ...

Amandala

Cops make 41-pound, $12 mil cocaine bust
Axel Fuentes, 36, a Guatemalan who resides in Ranchito in the Corozal District, was remanded to prison until October 29 when he appeared this afternoon in the Orange Walk Magistrate’s Court after police busted him at about 8:30 last night with over 40 pounds of pure cocaine, valued at about $12.3 million dollars. Police said that they and Orange Walk District Customs officials had been operating a vehicle checkpoint between Miles 56 and 57 on the Philip Goldson Highway when they stopped a Toyota pickup driven by Fuentes, a Guatemalan/Belizean of Ranchito Village and searched for contraband goods.

PUP “disciplines” Arthur!
People’s United Party (PUP), yesterday afternoon at a National Executive meeting at their headquarters on Queen Street, removed Arthur Saldivar as the Party’s Belize Rural North standard-bearer. Party Leader Francis Fonseca made the announcement to the media, party supporters and other interested persons after the party had made the decision. On August 27, the PUP suspended Saldivar from the National Executive and also from his position as the candidate for the Belize Rural North constituency, and announced that an investigative committee had been set up to look into “very serious allegations made against him.” The report of that investigative committee was delivered to Party Leader Fonseca on September 12, and the PUP national executive met today to consider Saldivar’s fate.

Dominoes player shot dead on Euphrates
A man was shot dead and another was injured on Wednesday afternoon at about 2:45 when a gunman entered a yard at a house at the corner of Euphrates Avenue and Dean Street and opened fire at a group of men playing dominoes. Cyril McFoy Robinson, 56, died after being shot in the head, and Shawn Cherrington, 45, was shot in the leg. Unofficial reports to Amandala are that another man – a reputed George Street gang figure who is the son of Robinson — was the target, but he escaped unhurt after the men scrambled for cover. The killer then escaped.

Lead, lead, and more lead …
An orgy of gun violence seemed to have gripped the city after the murder of Cyril McFoy Robinson, 56, the father of a known gang affiliate, which occurred just a few minutes after 2:00 p.m. right beside St. Ignatius Primary School at the corner of Dean Street and Euphrates Avenue yesterday, Wednesday. Wednesday night ended with eight people being shot, three fatally, in about six and a half hours. The last murder was that of John Avilez, 26, of Angel Lane. Avilez and three of his friends were relaxing near a house on Handyside Street at about 9:15 last night when a vehicle drove up from North Front Street into Angel Lane, opposite St. Mary’s Primary School. The vehicle stopped opposite where the men were, and then a gunman exited the vehicle and began shooting at the men. The gunman fired about 15 shots, after which he got back into the vehicle, which sped off.

Diaspora Garinagu join the fight!
During the last few weeks of the ongoing situation at First Caribbean International Bank in Belize, we have monitored with hope that FCIB would take positive and meaningful steps to resolve the situation in Dangriga of discrimination against the Garifuna language being spoken. A simple apology and some sensitivity training and resolving the dispute amicably with the workers in question would have probably sufficed. When Ms. Ella Hoyos came from Barbados with fanfare it was our hope in the Garifuna Diaspora she would help to correct the situation. She did not! Instead she announced only that the bank would be drafting a new written policy about languages. Does that mean then there was an unwritten policy of not speaking Garifuna as Uwahnie Martinez has maintained she was told by the now soon-to-be reassigned bank manager? This situation reeks of violations of our Belizean Constitutional rights and of our Human Rights.

IMF prods GOB to “undo” unions’ salary deal
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) issued its annual consultation report on Belize today, signaling its disapproval of the Government of Belize’s decision to share surplus revenues with public servants to meet their demand for a salary adjustment to compensate for accrued inflation. The first installment of that salary adjustment came at the end of July 2014, when teachers and public servants received a 6% increase, retroactive to April 2014; and the Government has committed to a three-tier program to implement the wage adjustment. “Staff encouraged the authorities to undo their recent commitment to allocate half of the annual growth in recurrent revenue to raise public wages,” said the IMF report.

Bert Vasquez on trial for common assault
Bert Vasquez, 32, who presently has a murder charge hanging over his head in connection with the death of a teenage girl who was abducted and killed in San Ignacio Town two years ago, appeared in the San Ignacio Magistrate’s Court today to answer to misdemeanor charges based on complaints which were lodged by several underage girls from the Cayo District, who came forward and alleged that Vasquez had also tried to lure them into his vehicle back in June of 2012. We have been reliably informed that while no reporters were allowed inside the courtroom due to the nature of the case, so far, one young girl has testified in chambers.

Chief Magistrate rules cop has case to answer
On August 8, 2014, attorney Anthony Sylvestre had made a no-case-to-answer submission before Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith on behalf of his client, Darius Martinez, a police officer who was charged with attempting to corrupt a public officer. Today, the Chief Magistrate delivered her ruling on Sylvestre’s no-case submission, saying that the prosecutor, Senior Crown Counsel Linbert Willis, had made out a prima facie case against Martinez and consequently, Martinez has a case to answer. On August 8, Willis had called two witnesses to testify for the prosecution in the case against Martinez — Sergeant Francisco Ack, the officer who arrested Martinez when he located him at a football game in Belmopan, and Gang Suppression Unit (GSU) officer Stacy Smith.

Saving the next generation of “killers”
Today, a deadly gang war was raging in Belize City, resulting in three homicides by gunfire, highlighting the fact that the persistent crime crisis in Belize City, which has also been impacting youth not in any way engaged in gang activities as “collateral damage,” needs urgent attention. It was this shocking reality that inspired Dr. Philip Castillo, lecturer in the Faculty of Management and Social Sciences at the University of Belize, to pitch a presentation dubbed “Operation Rescue .0007”, on the occasion of the national lecture: Futuring Belize: Exploring Options and Challenges for Economic Development, held tonight at the Bliss Center for the Performing Arts in Belize City.

Woman, 27, found guilty of harm, remanded to prison until sentencing
A Belize City woman has been remanded to the Central Prison after she was found guilty of causing harm to another woman when her case concluded at the Magistrate’s Court late this morning. Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith told Crystal Nunez, 27, an employee at the Belize Best Western Biltmore Plaza Hotel, “I find you guilty of harm. You are a belligerent woman. I believe that the same behavior you exhibited in this court is the same way you acted when you caused harm to Ms. Clark.” After finding her guilty, Smith told Nunez, “I am remanding you until September 30, when you will be sentenced.”

A historical look at Belize City’s homicide rate
Click HERE to view MAP application

PUP “disciplines” Arthur!
The People’s United Party (PUP), yesterday afternoon at a National Executive meeting at their headquarters on Queen Street, removed Arthur Saldivar as the Party’s Belize Rural North standard-bearer. Party Leader Francis Fonseca made the announcement to the media, party supporters and other interested persons after the party had made the decision. On August 27, the PUP suspended Saldivar from the National Executive and also from his position as the candidate for the Belize Rural North constituency, and announced that an investigative committee had been set up to look into “very serious allegations made against him.”

Road races results at BDF Sports Day on August 30
Though somewhat belatedly, we take the opportunity to print the results of the BDF Sports Day races held recently at Price Barracks on Saturday, August 30. Thanks to Kevin Anderson of the BDF for forwarding the detailed results of the 5k, 10k and Half-Marathon races. Back in the 1970’s and earlier, it was an established tradition to have a big Track & Field Meet at the MCC Grounds on the afternoon of Tenth of September or another date close to the Tenth. With track events so few and far between nowadays, we think it is important to record the results of the most recent road races, though they were not held under the auspices of the Belize Athletic Association.

Living legend “Pine” Hernandez visits along with “Fudge” Burgess
A number of Belizeans resident in the U.S are back in the Jewel for the Independence Day celebrations, and visiting the sports desk this afternoon were two former Belize City football players who had joined the exodus north in the 1960’s and ‘70’s – Gilbert “Pine” Hernandez, M.B.E., and Roy “Fudge” Burgess, respectively. Pine was captain of the legendary Dunlop football team, junior champions and then Belize City senior champions of the 1958-59 season. After Dunlop folded, Pine, along with some of his teammates, then joined BEC, and won a few more championships before migrating to the U.S., where he continued his playing and later coaching career in Chicago. He received the M.B.E. in 2011 for his service to sports and athletics in Belize.

2014 champions of CitCo/Leslie’s Imports September Criterium
The Cycling Federation of Belize today released the results of the 2014 Belize City Council/Leslie’s Imports September Criterium, which took place yesterday, Sunday, September 14, on the Albert & Regent Streets Circuit. The event began at 10:30 in the morning with the Youth Program races for various youth age categories; while the big races, for Female, Junior, Masters and Open Senior/Elite were held in the afternoon. Here are the top finishers in each category: YOUTH PROGRAM RACES 5 Years and Under – 1st place Kyron Staine; 2nd Kaelie Burgess; 3rd Jayden Tillett; 4th Damine Myles. Female – 1st place Kaelie Burgess; 2nd Jadah Muschamp. 6-7 Years – 1st place Zaheem Gentle; 2nd Harry Mahler. 8-10 Years – 1st place Derek Brown; 2nd Jahmai Scott; Jose Guerra; 4th Cuba Perrote.

Belize Jaguars exit Central American Cup with heads held high
Belizean fans who knew better, and were aware of the huge handicap in training and preparation that the Belize National “A” Team faced going into the Central American Cup 2014, could not realistically set their hopes too high. Winning the tournament was definitely out of the question. Qualifying for the final day of games on September 13 would mean upsetting the plans of either Honduras, El Salvador or Guatemala, all much higher ranked and better prepared for the tournament than Belize – a big task, indeed. But hope springs eternal, and the Belize Jaguars have repeatedly proven that one thing we don’t lack is heart.

Editorial: Violence, passports, and real estate
The incidence of gun violence on the Southside of Belize City, which remains the population center of the nation of Belize, has been established as having reached what the United Nations considers civil war levels. This is not what Amandala is saying: this is what regional experts have calculated. This gun violence has been taking place for the last quarter century and more. As soon as the United Democratic Party (UDP) came to power for the first time, they sprayed Belize’s profitable marijuana plantations with the deadly herbicide called paraquat. This was 1985. Around the same time, crack cocaine was introduced into Belize. Two years later the Crips and Bloods gang phenomenon entered Belize from Los Angeles, and soon the old capital became a killing field.

From the Publisher
I listened to the Rt. Hon. Said Musa discuss the process leading up to Belize’s 1981 independence on the PUP radio station on Tuesday morning. I would say I heard perhaps 60 or 70 percent of his discourse. I first met Said after returning home from Dartmouth in 1968, and later that year I worked with him and Assad Shoman on preparations for a demonstration against the Vietnam War. The two Belizeans, of Palestinian paternity, had studied law in England. The choice of a demonstration target was theirs, not mine. I was following them, but I believed that the Vietnam War was an abomination. So.

Letters: Lay-waiting the express James buses …
Being a frequent commuter on Belize’s public transport buses, I would like to address some issues being faced daily by myself as well as by most Belizean commuters. I personally dread riding Belize’s public transport buses for various reasons but in most instances I have no other choice; most can relate to that. As we all know, Belize’s public transportation system has a lot to be desired in terms of the common sense of its functionality. Why does it seem as though in Belize we do almost everything haphazardly, with no real method or purpose? It begs me to question, what’s really going on in the Ministry of Transport? Who is making all these rash changes and decisions? They seem to be doing more harm than actual good to the public transport system.

Letters: Archaeological plundering at Sarteneja
Please publish this letter in order to bring out cultural awareness and to stop illegal archeological excavations in the village of Sarteneja. Last month I had the magnificent opportunity and pleasure to spend a few days in the beautiful and friendly village of Sarteneja, a place where any adventurous kid would want to live his childhood days. The lengthy and bumpy bus ride on that narrow coarse road is no deterrent for the amazing views and thrills which are experienced in the harmonious community. The thick greenish-brownish foliage along the roadside waits patiently for the rains just as the farmer looks helplessly at his droopy fields. The rain gods must be mad at the villagers for the silent sacrilege which is befalling upon the village.

Letters: Move the PG market to the airstrip: Christina
It seems PG Town has decided to renovate both the front street market and the main street community center and park all one time, leaving the many vendors scurrying to find any space available. The result is chaos and ever more crowding. I know this situation is supposed to be temporary but are the existing plans innovative enough to serve us for the long run? A leading businesswoman and I were discussing the situation—when I suggested splitting the market, putting part of it in the public works compound out near Indianville. She said, “Oh no, Tina, the whole market should be on the airstrip!” Suddenly I could envision it and the idea certainly made sense—the existing airstrip site would allow for future market expansion, less crowding in the downtown areas, and better sanitation for the public toilets (which now drain into the sea) and it would make for much more convenient shopping with all vendors being in one central area.

Letters: Ray Lockey arrives November 2nd
Hope this finds you well. Thought I would let you know that plans are complete for my Belize trip. Arrive in Belize on the 2nd November and spend the month travelling around Belize including a ten-day trip to Guatemala before leaving on the 29th. Have heard from some old friends – Oscar Ramos and Ronald Hulse. Teddy Gonzalez is returning from Florida for a few days to meet up. Whilst I made many friends through the football all over Belize I also worked as a lecturer at the then Belize Teachers Training College and supervised a number of students who may still be around as old teachers or retired! They were Simeon Lopez, Paul Mahung, Luciano Manzanero, Henry Neal, Ruby Harris, Lucille Jacobs, and Sonia McKenzie (who was an outstanding sportswoman).

The invisibility of the Maya in September celebrations
September in Belize is a time when the nation focuses on its national identity, so a question recently arose in my mind over the invisibility of the Maya heritage during this festive time of the year. Before Belize had a colonial history, it had a Maya history, so why should the celebration of nationhood not strongly reflect this dimension of Belize’s heritage? Is it only popular to talk about Mundo Maya when selling the Belize tourism product? Should not celebrations of Belize’s national identity reach way back in the annals of time to the era when the inhabitants of this land were truly independent of any colonial control? In fact, given all that plays out on the international political front, some would even argue that those pre-colonial times were truly the days of independence.

US university recognizes Dr. Sol Yam for attaining Doctorate degree in Education
The Nova Southeastern University, located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has conferred a Doctorate degree in Education based on two concentrations in Organizational Leadership and Higher Education during summer 2014 to vice principal of St. John’s College, Ms. Sol Yam, this past Friday, September 12th. Dr. Yam, who has cited the challenges in the area of mathematics in Belize’s educational system, particularly for the past ten years, completed her requirements by producing a dissertation entitled “Teachers’ Perceptions and Use of Manipulatives to Teach Mathematics in Middle Primary Schools in Belize”, which was supported by stakeholders at all levels in our educational system due to its relevance to Belize, and because of the perception that it is imperative that interventions are in place to address such challenges in the continuation of the work towards national development.

KHMH celebrates 19 years; upgrades ICUs
As the country’s premier public health facility, the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH), observed its 19th year of existence today, its administrators unveiled a series of upgrades which had been carried out on both its adult and infant Intensive Care Units (ICUs), as well as on its statistical laboratory. The improvements were the result of several recommendations which had been provided to the hospital’s authorities by officials of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in the wake of a disastrous bacterial outbreak which claimed the lives of at least eight newborn neonatal patients in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the hospital back in May of 2013. The incidents have severely marred the hospital’s public image since then, and when we spoke to Minister of Health, Hon. Pablo Marin, at the ceremony today, he explained the significance of the upgrades, which include an additional wing of the adult ICU.

Belize’s Ambassador to EU, Dr. Dylan Vernon, appointed to ACP Bureau
Belize’s Ambassador to the EU, H.E. Dr. Dylan Vernon, has been picked to serve for the next six months on the Bureau of the Committee of Ambassadors for the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP), an organization composed of 79 African, Caribbean and Pacific states created back in 1975. According to the ACP, the Bureau of the Committee of Ambassadors is comprised of a representative of each of the six ACP regions. H.E. Mr. Johnson Weru of Kenya will serve for East Africa, H.E. Dr. Alfredo Lopez Cabral of Guinea Bissau for West Africa, H.E. Mrs. Grace Kabwe of Zambia for Southern Africa, H.E. Mr. Ousmane Matar Breme of Chad for Central Africa, H.E. Vernon of Belize for the Caribbean, and H.E. Mr. Joshua Kalinoe of Papua New Guinea for the Pacific.

OAS body presses Belize to reactivate Integrity Commission
The Committee of Experts of the Follow-up Mechanism for the Implementation of the Inter-American Convention against Corruption (MESICIC) of the Organization of American States (OAS) has released its Belize report on the implementation of the treaty, following the Twenty-Fourth Meeting held last week at the headquarters of the hemispheric institution in Washington, D.C. The Committee notes that at the time of the on-site visit April 23-25, 2014, representatives of the country under review had explained that no member of the Integrity Commission was formally in place and there was no functioning Integrity Commission. “The Committee believes that it is important for the country under review to consider taking the steps necessary to ensure that the members of the Integrity Commission are appointed so that the Commission can, inter-alia, perform the important functions assigned to it with regard to the system of financial declarations in Belize,” the MESICIC report said.

Victim of vicious dog attack dies
On the night of Friday, July 4, 2014, three dogs attacked and killed Jeffrey O’Brien, 23, a fisherman of Independence, and 15 days after, on Saturday evening, July 19, an eerily similar incident occurred, in which a senior citizen was attacked and viciously mauled by four Rottweilers. The victim of this attack, McKesson Garrett, 71, of Belize City, at about 7:30 that evening, was bitten on the hands, arms, legs, and foot, and a piece of his nose was ripped off by the dogs. He was admitted to ward at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, and remained there until he died at about 2:00 Sunday morning, September 14, two months after the mauling. McKesson Garrett was attacked by the dogs at the home of a friend of his at Mile 4 on the Philip Goldson Highway.

The Reporter

PUP remembers Father of the Nation with wreath ceremony
The People’s United Party (PUP), observed National Service Day on Friday with a now customary wreath-laying ceremony at the grave of the late George Price, Father of the Nation. The event took place on September 19, the date that Mr Price passed – incidentally just two days before Independence Day – the single most important national event that he fought for and attained. In addressing students of Saint Martin de Porres Primary, scouts, and relatives and friends of the fallen former leader, Francis Fonseca, the current PUP leader said that it is imperative for his party to ensure that the legacy and memory of Mr Price is preserved and passed on to future generations. “There is a sense of longing for George Price’s leadership, his commitment to Belize that seems to be lacking today in 2014, Fonseca opined. Former Prime Minister, Said Musa reflected on one of Mr Price’s pieces of work. “As he said in one of his poems ‘Little people have tried and turned away. Nation building is task for giants.’”

Drug cartel leader murdered in Mexico
Mexican police have found the body of Aquiles Gomez, who was thought to be one of the main leaders of the Knights Templar drug cartel. The body was found with a bullet wound in a house in central Michoacan state. Aguilles was believed to be the brother of Servando “La Tuta” Gomez, head of the Knights Templars and one the country’s most-wanted drug suspects. Several of the cartel’s top commanders have been killed recently, but La Tuta remains at large. The Knights Templar controls much of the methamphetamine and marijuana trade in western Mexico.

GSU boss plans to address socio-economic needs of criminals
Inspector Mark Flowers, Commander of the Gang Suppression Unit, says he wants to meet with relevant government ministries to address the socio-economic needs of criminals to keep them from committing crime. Flowers told The Reporter that his plan takes into account the lack of […]

Carnival Road March 2014
Hundreds of revellers dressed in ornate, brightly coloured costumes took to the streets in the blazing heat to perform for thousands of spectators in the Carnival Road March 2014. The carnival held on Saturday September 2013, featured 13 of the 14 registered bands divided into […]

Mayor Bradley introduces Seashore Children’s Park
Belize City Mayor, Darrell Bradley introduced the newly-dubbed Seashore Children’s Park in the Buttonwood Bay area complete with a landmark Belize monument on Wednesday. Bradley explained that the designation of the area as a children’s park came after the property was almost privatized last […]

Policeman dies in road traffic accident
Marvin Sedacey, 29, a police constable attached to the Punta Gorda Police Formation, was killed instantly around 7:45 on Wednesday morning near mile four on the Southern Highway. Sedacey was reportedly driving a Ford Escort car from Cattle Landing Village towards Forest Home when […]

Eleven-year-old motivational speaker receives key to the city
Mayor Darrell Bradley presented eleven-year-old motivational speaker Anthony Gill with the key to Belize City at a ceremony held at City Hall on Monday. Bradley said Gill has been doing great inspirational work with youths in Belize and in the United States and said […]

Jamaican producers looking to promote Belizean talent
A group of Jamaican producers based in Canada has been in Belize over the past three weeks recording material with Belizean artists to promote in Jamaican, Canadian and European markets and eventually book shows for the artists. According to Garth “Papa” White, owner of […]

Guatemalan man almost decapitated; another Guatemalan detained
Pedro Diaz Guien, 34, a Guatemalan who has made Duck Run III, Spanish Lookout his home for the past five years, was discovered almost decapitated a around 4 a.m. on Sunday on Emerald Trail, a road that leads to his house. According to police, […]

Taiwan shares culture with Belize during September celebrations
A group of students who are attending top universities in Taiwan left Belize this week after they staged a super cultural presentation for Belizeans on Monday night at the Bliss Centre for the Performing Arts in Belize City. The students, youth ambassadors chosen by […]

Belize Solid Waste Management Authority emphasizes occupational safety
The Belize Solid Waste Management Authority held a two-day Occupational Health and Safety (OSH) training exercise with their workers to improve operational standards and highlight best practices. Tyronne Chimilio, Belize Solid Waste Management Authority social communications officer, explained that the training is part of […]

Belize adopts National Climate Resilience Investment Plan
The government of Belize has adopted a National Climate Resilience Investment Plan (NCRIP) to improve the country’s disaster risk management initiatives. The project is being funded by the European Union and the World Bank as part of the Africa Caribbean and Pacific (ACP)-EU Natural […]

Two Bahamians pending extradition for money laundering
Two Bahamian nationals arrested in Belize are pending an extradition request by the United States for their involvement in a billion dollar securities fraud and money laundering scheme. Rohn Knowles and Kelvin Leach were arrested last week at the Phillip Goldson International Airport for […]

Orange Walk police seize 41 pounds of cocaine!
Axel Fuentes, 36, a Guatemalan/Belizean who lives in Ranchito Village, Corozal, is on remand until October 29 on a charge of drug trafficking after police nabbed him with 41 pounds of cocaine. The drug bust was made around 8:30 . on Wednesday night between miles […]

Editorial

Two weeks ago at a meeting of the House of Representatives the Prime Minister of Belize publicly excoriated the Mayor of the Punta Gorda Town Council, Mr. Anthony Fuentes, for using subvention money provided by the Government of Belize to pay off a personal debt with the Toledo Teachers Credit […]

War in the City! Authorities say Situation under Control
Prime Minister Dean Barrow and top brass within the police department held a press conference Thursday to address the recent upsurge in violent crime in Belize City which has resulted in four murders in less than twelve hours. The police confirmed that between 2 p.m. […]

Man, 56, shot dead during dominoes game
An afternoon shooting in Belize City last Wednesday has left one man dead and another injured. Cyril McFoy Robinson, 56, was shot once in the head around 1:55 Wednesday afternoon,September 17 and died on the way to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. Injured also in […]

PUP drops Arthur Saldivar
At a National Executive Meeting last Wednesday the People’s United Party high command made a unanimous decision to remove Arthur Saldivar as its standard-bearer for the Belize Rural North constituency. PUP Leader Francis Fonseca, told reporters that “with immediate effect Mr Arthur Saldivar is removed […]

Patrick Jones

Toledo residents clean up the coastline
Various organizations in Toledo came out this morning to take part in a coastal cleanup activity. The event was led by the Toledo Institute for Development and the Environment, TIDE. Correspondent Juan Caal reports.

Minister Mark King says lawbreakers will be fully dealt with
The Honorable the Minister of State with responsibility for Gangs, Mr. Mark King has issued a statement expressing condolences to all the families affected by the recent spike in crimes in Belize City. Minister King, in his statement, said that “as a nation, we continue to see young people are more and more at risk of being drawn into gangs and will be targeted at every stage of their lives – from toddlers to teenagers – and the onus is on the Government and all its partners to use a comprehensive approach aimed at preventing the next generation of gang members.” The Minister, who is the area representative for Lake Independence, says that the full weight of the law will be brought to bear on individuals who are bent on disrupting the “climate of peace in our beloved nation,” and he called on everyone “to continue promoting a message of peace and harmony” as Belize prepares to celebrate 33 years of Independence on Sunday.

Roman Catholic Bishop slams “Alkaline” concert
The head of the Roman Catholic Church in Belize, Bishop Dorrick Wright has spoken out against a planned concert this weekend by Jamaican artist Alkaline, whose real name is Earlan Bartley. “As the Bishop of Belize, I strongly oppose this event, which represents a serious error in judgment on the part of the Administration of Sacred Heart in allowing it to take place on their campus.”

Blogs

El Gran Mestizo Hotel, Orange Walk & Heading Back Home
I JUST got back from Belize’s North-Westernist district, Orange Walk. The 4th largest town in Belize (can you name the first three?) is getting ready for their biggest event of the year – the September 21st, Belize’s 33rd birthday celebrations. Orange Walk really doesn’t grown oranges anymore – the wetter climate in the south was found much more conducive to the citrus industry, it’s all about sugar. And with sugar comes rum. Cuello’s and Old Master’s are both located in da OW. Cuello’s makes, most famously, Caribbean Dark and Light Rum. And here are just some random pictures around town. Lovely sign for powder buns. I made a mental note to bike down here early the next morning. I did and the place was locked up tight at 7:30am. Sign gone and not a soul or a 50 cent powder bun in sight. Just my luck.

Dynamic duo teams up in San Pedro
Many San Pedro folks have been have been missing her culinary talent myself included. I was jumping for joy when I got the message Wednesday that Dulce was back in action and teamed up with Chap to do home cooked lunches on Thursdays. How could I resist homemade chicken dumplings cooked by the dynamic duo and delivered right to my door for $10 pus $2 delivery? I couldn’t so I put an order in asap and bumped it up to two yesterday when Christian dropped by for a visit. Dulce texted me when delivery was on it’s way. Sure enough Orvin our dumpling delivery guy was riding his bike down our street within a few minutes and he did not spill a drop. They had packed our food very well and used tape on the lids.

International Sources

The European Development Funds in Belize
The European Development Fund is the main instrument by which the EU provides development aid in the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. EDF funds are programmed in 5-years Country Strategy Papers (CSP). There have been 10 European Development Funds between 1959 and now. Belize has been the beneficiary successive European Development Funds embracing a number of key projects in areas essential to the country’s human and economic development. Total financial assistance to Belize from the EU since the beginning of the Lomé Convention is estimated at over 93 million euros. This amount does not include bilateral cooperation by EU Member States or benefits from the regional programme or the trade preferences and protocols. The current Country Strategy Paper (CSP) presents the framework that will govern European Commission assistance to Belize for the period 2008-2013. In line with the Government priorities as outlined in the National Poverty Elimination Strategy 2007-2013, the focal area of the Country Strategy Paper 2008-2013 under the 10th EDF support is poverty reduction through integrated rural development.

Officials: Caribbean Destinations Must Focus on Tourism Strengths
Caribbean destinations must “operate like businesses” and focus on their inherent and individual strengths to surmount significant regional challenges and remain competitive with global vacation destinations, said Alex Zozaya, chief executive officer of Apple Leisure Group. Speaking as the keynote presenter at this week’s Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO)’s “State of the Industry” conference in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Zozaya offered a view of regional tourism that highlighted opportunities while also warning of dwindling significance for destinations unwilling to cast aside politics and bureaucracy to focus on challenges that range from high energy costs to restrictive policies that limit visitor access to wider regional travel. Zozaya’s comments come amidst several key conference developments. Richard Sealy, Barbados’ minister of tourism, was elected CTO’s chairman, succeeding Beverly Nicholson-Doty, the U.S. Virgin Islands' commissioner of tourism.

Caribbean, Latin American festival to be held in Taipei
A weekend event in Taipei aims to highlight Latin American and Caribbean cultures as part of an effort to promote cultural exchanges between Taiwan and the regions, organizers said yesterday. The Latin American and Caribbean Cultural Festival opens today at Huashan 1914 Creative Park in Taipei, with music and dance performances by artists from Paraguay, Belize, Argentina, Mexico and Peru, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is organizing the event. At the nearby Spot Huashan Cinema, there are to be free showings of 12 films from Latin American and Caribbean nations, offering a glimpse into their diverse cultures, Deputy Foreign Minister Simon Ko () said.

Videos

Video: Belize's Global Crime Statistics SD, 3min.

Video: Belize second half, 14min.
My first diving with a sea turtle! Turtle @ 11:30.

Video: DH Belize 2014, 8min.
Nice video of a scuba vacation on Ambergris Caye

Video: Host Macarena Rose~Belize 1st Lady- Kim Simplis Barrow- Grand Opening Inspiration Center, 64min.
Last year Belize Talk Radio asked listeners to be part of the Telethon in raising funds for the First Lady Of Belize's, Kim Simplis Barrow brainchild, The Inspiration Center for Special Needs Children. Today we share with you the completed Center for which we were invited guests to the grand opening. People helping people is what it is all about !

Video: CCFS Swimathon Challenge, 3min.
The University of Belize is having its first every swim relay competition! The competition is a fundraiser for the University of Belize Calabash Caye Field Station at the Turneffe Atoll. Teams of 5 are to secure sponsorship and take on a gruelling 8 km relay swim over 2 days broken down into 1km a day per person starting April 24th and 25th 2015. Teams must complete the swim on Day 1 within 6.5 hours and Day 2 within 4 hours or be disqualified. Get out your books folks! Teams must consist of a mix of, are you ready? 1 faculty member, 1 student, 1 corporate member, 1 female and 1 more of any other of these categories. That’s 5 right?

Video: Shark Ray Alley - Belize, 2min.
Came across a bit of an under water feeding frenzy when one of the boat attracted a bunch of sharks, fish and rays when they threw chum over the side. I snorkeled around trying to see what was going on and capture the activity on my mask mounted GoPro. At times it felt like I was getting sucked into the action and had to keep pulling myself back.

Video: Coming at you like a spider monkey!, 1min.
Gary's encounter with a spider monkey on our honeymoon trip to Belize

Video: Belize city 10th of September parade jump up behind the big trucks, 3min.

Video: Belize City Carnival Road March 2014, 6min.
Highlights of the 2014 Belize City Carnival Road March.

September 19, 2014

FOR TODAY'S BELIZE WEATHER, CLICK HERE

Click for our Daily Tropical Weather Report.

Specials and Events

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

The San Pedro Sun

San Pedro Racers to participate in World’s Biggest Sailing Race
The San Pedro Racers (SPR) will be part of Bart’s Bash, a sailing race that will be simultaneously taking place in several destinations across the world. The event is scheduled to take place on Sunday, September 21st across 65 countries,and is expected to be the biggest sailing race yet. The aim of Bart’s Bash is to set a record in the Guinness Book of World Records, and to be the “Largest sailing event in the world”. Belize’s venues for the all-day event will be Caribbean Villas Hotel. Bart’s Bash is hosted by the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation, a charity organization aimed to inspire the next generation of youth through sailing in the United Kingdom and around the world. As part of the event, sailing clubs from across the globe will race at their locations. At the end of the race, all sailors will receive an overall world rank according to their score in the race. So far, Bart’s Bash will see the participation of 10,796 sailors from 728 clubs. In addition to attempting to set a world record, the race will also serve as a fundraiser for the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation.

Belizeans participate by the thousands in Carnival Road March 2014
Thousands of patriotic Belizeans participated in the 2014 Carnival celebration that took place on Saturday September 13th in Belize City. The event started around predawn with the annual jouvert and ended with the afternoon carnival parade complete with feathery, glittery and elaborate masquerades. The jouvert set the stage for much the anticipated carnival road march, which left the Caesar Ridge Road and made its way along Central American Boulevard, culminating on Marine Parade at the BTL Park. From steel pan bands mounted on large double deck trucks to blaring speakers playing the Rolly Polly Soca beat of Mista Killa; the atmosphere was celebratory and filled with color and fun.

SICA Foreign Minister discusses steps to trade with CARICOM
As part of the Pro-Tempore Presidency of the Central American Integration System (SICA), Belize hosted the summit of Council of Foreign Affairs Minister. The event took place on Ambergris Caye on Friday September 12th and was a follow up to a two-day technical meeting held the days prior to the ministerial summit. The meeting focused on five areas and saw the Foreign Ministers discussing and brainstorming ideas related to trade and reaching out to other regional organizations such as the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

Ambergris Today

Chikungunya Disease Approaches Belize
Eight cases of chikungunya have been confirmed by health officials in the bordering country of Guatemala, central city of Esquintla. This makes Guatemala the second Central American country after El Salvador to have confirmed cases of the disease. Belize’s health officials have been placed on alert and the CEO in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Peter Allen, says that they are keeping an eye on the matter. The Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) is urging member countries that have mosquitoes that transmit dengue and chikungunya to step up their vector-control efforts and prepare for a possible increase in patients suffering from these diseases.

Misc Belizean Sources

Road on North Ambergris Caye
Here's a look on the progress on the paving of the road on North Ambergris Caye...enjoy!

Benque Independence Variety Show
Mount Carmel primary put together a variety show in Benque to celebrate September. "A plethora of young talents, shared their patriotic spirit and love for Belize at the Ms Independence and Mr.Independence Variety Show, organized by Mount Carmel Primary School. Here is a peek, kudos to a splendid show, it is a true reflection of efforts and rich abundance of talents that will foster an enriched society."

Claudia Garcia Receives Princess Diana Award
Congratulations, Claudia Garcia, for being the first Belizean to receive the Princess Diana Award! The BNE Energy of Life program hosted the award ceremony for Ms. Garcia, who graduated from Eden High School. Thanks, BNE! Keep up the great work, Ms. Garcia! "The Diana Award is presented to inspirational or socially active young people who have made a positive difference to the lives of others and their communities."

Parade Route, San Pedro Independence Day
Join us for Independence Eve on the 20th of September at Central Park, starting at 10, to welcome our 33rd Independence! We will have entertainment by the San Pedro Dance Academy and Fireworks! Come visit the booths at the BLOCK PARTY (starting at 7) that will be lined up on Barrier Reef Drive! Join in on the fun for the Jump Up parade on the 21st of September starting at 1:00 p.m. See Route attached. We hope everyone has a safe and happy Independence Day! Long live Belize!

Parade Route, San Pedro Independence Day
Here is a video of the route for the Jump Up Parade on the 21st of September.

Little Miss Pandy Show 2014
Congratulations, Ms. Rachel Cruz, for being named this years' Little Miss Pandy Show. Pandy has had quite a few events this month, including the talent show, and the Miss Pandy Show.

D Catch Anniversary Bash
D Catch is having their 1st anniversary party on Saturday. It's going to be a ceviche Saturday. "Time to party!!!! Come and join us, we only turn 1 once! There will be lots of give away by D Catch and Bowen and Bowen. Don't miss out it will be lots of fun, fun, fun!!!!!!"

Benque Independence Variety Show
Mount Carmel primary put together a variety show in Benque to celebrate September. "A plethora of young talents, shared their patriotic spirit and love for Belize at the Ms Independence and Mr.Independence Variety Show, organized by Mount Carmel Primary School. Here is a peek, kudos to a splendid show, it is a true reflection of efforts and rich abundance of talents that will foster an enriched society."

Corozal Art in the Park 5th Anniversary
Art in the Park began in 2009 as the brainchild of Debra Wilkes, who still spearheads this project. It functions under the auspices of COLCHA, which is is a Corozal entity dedicated to "Celebrating, promoting, and preserving the cultural heritage, art and history of our community as we identify our nich within the tapestry of National Belizean Identity." (From the Mission statement) For the Fifth Anniversary Celebration music was provided by the very popular Corozal musical group Caribbean Roots. Artisans displayed around the fountain, and the walkways to the streets in Central Park were filled with a wide variety of food vendors. There were hundreds and hundreds of folks present for this event! The program for the night consisted of the recognition of a number of artists who have been loyal and are almost always present for the monthly Art in the Park. Also recognized were a number of groups that have been physically and financially supportive. These artists and groups are found in the gallery of pictures below.

Channel 7

3 Dead, 5 Injured In 24 Hours; Suspected Gang Flare Up
Today, Belize City residents woke up shell-shocked after 7 hours of violence yesterday that left three dead, and five others with gunshot injuries. It all started at 2:00 pm with the murder of Cyril McFoy Robinson at the corner of Euphrates Avenue and Dean Street. The gunman was targeting his son, the George Street affiliated Brandon Tillett, and ended up killing the 56 year old Robinson and shooting another man - both of whom were playing dominoes under a house. That police say that single event sparked a night of eruptive violence across the city, the kind that has not been seen for some time. And the crime spike didn't only scare residents, it did the same for politicians. This afternoon, Prime Minister Dean Barrow scheduled an emergency meeting with Belize City police this afternoon at the Raccoon Street police station, first to find out if they responded adequately after the McFoy shooting, and second, to see if they are doing anything to make sure the spike doesn't continue.

Police: Retaliatory Shootings Caused By BT Dad's Death
And what will be done is the immediate enforcement of all gang related crimes on the book - some that have never been used before. We'll get to that, but first to what really triggered yesterday's violence. First, there was the McFoy murder at 2:00 pm, and then at 7:20 pm, Clifford Flores was shot to the midsection on Faber's Road, and then 55 minutes after that 26 year old Joseph Roland was shot in the head on central American Boulevard, and then at 9:15 pm, there was a shooting on the northside, near Angel Lane which is beside St. Mary's School. That's where four men were shot, including 26 year old John Avilez, who received multiple shots to his midsection. Two of those men, Flores and Avilez died. And today police said all that violence is a direct result of the murder of Brandon Tillett's father, Cyril McFoy Robinson:. Sr. Supt. Edward Broaster, Deputy Commander, Eastern Division "Brandon Tillett is a member of the George Street gang and we have other affiliates of Jane Usher gang who is affiliates of George Street. We have member from south side gang detained who we believe are having conflict within each other as it relates to this latest incident."

2nd Flores Male Murdered
And while police say they are remaining vigilant - tonight, three city families are grieving. The first Belize City resident who became a casualty of this latest flare-up was 25 year-old Clifford Flores who was gunned down on Sylvia Arthurs street, right in front of his house. Flores was shot at around 7:20 p.m., in the middle of the newscast. Our cameraman arrived on the scene shortly after, and today, we went to speak with Flores' family members, who were in the midst of their grief. Daniel Ortiz has that story: Daniel Ortiz reporting Tragedy revisited the home of the Flores family last night at around 7:20 in the first City shooting on Caesar Ridge Road area. 25 year-old Clifford Simeon Flores and his 2 friends were sitting on a vehicle here in front of their house when an SUV drove past. A gunman opened fire from that vehicle in the direction of the group. Flores was injured 3 times, once to the abdomen, and twice to the lower back.

University Student Murdered; A Gang War Casualty
And, two hours after Flores was killed, 10 gunshots rang out on Angel Lane, in the vicinity of Pinks Alley. Four men were shot, one of them fatally: he is 26 year-old John Avilez who lived in Angel Lane. Avilez was hanging out with 3 other men, 28 year-old Nigel Ferguson, 30 year-old Mark Alamilla, and 28 year-old William Savery right outside his house when a vehicle drove up around 9 p.m. Police say that a man exited that vehicle and fired several shots at the entire group, making it the third shooting of the night. Ferguson was injured in left cheek, while Allamilla was injured in the left upper leg. Aviles suffered 2 injuries to the right side of his chest and 1 to the right arm, and his companion, Savery took a bullet to the right side of the buttocks. All 4 men were rushed to the hospital where doctors tried for approximately an hour and a half to save Aviles' life. Unfortunately, he passed away from his injures while undergoing treatment.

Investigators Unsure About John Avilez's murder
The Avilez murder is particularly unsettling because the 26 year old was a UB student who was not known to have gang ties. So why was he killed, if the murders were retaliatory? Today, his family didn't want to talk to the media, but the police told us what they know:.. Reporter "The death of John Avilez, the UB student. Was he the intended target, was he not? Was someone in that group socializing at that moment the intended target or was that as is being suggested a random shooting?" ACP - Desiree Phillips - OCED "That is pre-mature for us to indicate if he was the intended target. The investigation is pretty young and obviously it's continuing."

Joseph Roland Shot In The Head; Survives
The 6th and final person who was the target of a retaliation type shooting last night was another 26 year-old, Joseph Roland, a resident of Pelican Street. He was targeted at around 8:15, one hour after Clifford Flores was shot, and 1 hour before John Avilez and his 3 companions were targeted. According to police, he was standing at the corner of Central American Boulevard and Antelope Street Extension. He was buying food when a man ambushed and shot him in the left side of his head just behind the ear. He was rushed to the KHMH, and where Doctors found that miraculously, the bullet did not hit any major blood vessels, nor did it injure his brain. When we stopped by his house today, his friends told us that he has been released from the hospital, and he is walking around, if only gingerly.

PM Barrow: Police Will Enforce All Laws On Known Gang Members
You've already heard - in very general terms how police are responding to the troubling spike in crime. But, there are specifics as well; namely, enforcement of anti-gang laws that have been on the books but have never been used. The Prime Minister explained that use of these laws and the handling of them, formed a large part of his meeting with the police today:.. Prime Minister Dean Barrow "The police and ourselves discuss how a longer term basis you can removed these people from the equation. I am saying that we have passed all sorts of laws. There is an offence on the statute book that has been there for years. We've tried to tweak it. We tried to make it more robust, but that essentially said membership in a gang is illegal. I am now learning that one of the persons being detained will be charge with some offence of causing public terror. That reassures me, because you are very unlikely to get them for the actual offence of murder, of shooting somebody. Then the question of affiliates is raised. We are told we have some extremely recruits that are being use a trigger persons.

Law Enforcement Seize Half-a-Mil In Cocaine
Last night the Customs Department, the police special patrol unit, BDF and customs set up a checkpoint between miles 61 and 62 on the Northern Highway and they scored with a major drug bust. At around 7:30, they stopped a Toyota pickup with Corozal plates driven by 36-year-old Ranchito Resident Axel Fuentes. Fuentes is a fisherman by profession, and he had a few iceboxes full of fish. But, sharp work by the customs team picked up something a little odd about one of the iceboxes. It was full of fish, but seemed to be too heavy. So they took the icebox to examine it closely and found that it had a false bottom: 6 inches of the icebox's depth was concealed by a fake fiberglass covering. So they cut it open and found 18 bricks of cocaine totaling 18.89 Kilos - that's 41 pounds! That product has an estimated street value of about half a million Belize Dollars - and more than twice that on the US market.

KHMH Went Into Mass Casualty Mode
So, the big story tonight is about the crime spree that left three men dead yesterday. But, a huge and under-reported part of the story is the response of the KHMH - which is the trauma center for the vast majority of shooting victims. Well last night, with six shootings after 7:00 pm, the hospital had to go into mass casualty mode. The hospital today issued a release saying that at 7:35 it activated its Mass Casualty Plan due to the six (6) gunshot casualties that arrived simultaneously at the Accident and Emergency Department. The "manpower pool" was activated where extra KHMH personnel such as all surgeons, available nurses, support staff and the management team were called out to assist with the emergency crisis. They performed three emergency surgeries.

Increased Security Around St. Ignatius Primary Following Next Door Murder
And one other institution that had to react in the wake of the shooting was St. Ignatius School. The school is immediately adjacent to the house where Cyril Mcfoy Robinson was playing dominoes when he was killed. As many as eight shots rang out at 2:00 in the afternoon when school was in session. It left the children understandably traumatized and terrorized - we caught this picture of a child who was being taken back to school but couldn't reach because of the police tape. Today, in response, the Ministry of Education sent in a team of counselors from the Anglican and Methodist Missions. A ministry spokesperson says that 7 counselors were present and facilitated talk therapy and art therapy in an attempt to allow students to deal with the crisis. And while that is good and well, the school is in a gang zone, in the middle of a gang war. So what are police going to do. That's what our colleague Luis Wade asked at the press conference today:..

GSU's Capacity Will Increased
And while that thought about additional security at the school came almost as an afterthought - beefing up the GSU even more is a top priority. The unit already had 35 men, but now it's going to get more. Commissioner Whylie said today that the Gang Suppression Unit is the point of focus in this gang war:.. Allen Whylie - Commissioner of Police "If you look again at the number for the GSU and whilst they are our primary strike force in terms of attacking and dismantling the gangs, again their numbers are being beefed up because it is a huge task that they have to deal with. The GSU will be in the face of these players who continue to plague our society in particular in Belize City. My directive to them is that each and every individual must be arrested and charged for whatever infractions of the law that they commit."

Does More Police Numbers Curb Crime?
And all this talk about beefing up the GSU, got us wondering about the effectiveness of police deployments. Two years ago, before the precinct system the eastern division patrol branch had approximately 150 officers; but now with the precincts, there are at least three times that number spread across the four precincts - a 200% increase. Add to that the 10 man quick response team and the 35 man GSU and that's a lotta cops on the street. Additionally, police are going to add 50% of the new intake to eastern division. But, crime still spikes as it will. So we asked are the increased numbers effective:. Allen Whylie - Commissioner of Police "I can commit that over 50% of that recruiting squad again will be deployed to Belize City." Jules Vasquez "It seems from the outside that you all keep throwing more personnel at the problem, but you are not fixing it. We don't know the crime statistics for Belize City because you refuse to release it, although you promise, but I am saying that it appears that you all think that this is a problem and can be solved with man power, but you are at 300% more and the problem is still there. So obviously it is not the problem that can be solved with man power. Do you sir know what the problem really is and you have any idea how to really fix it?" Allen Whylie - Commissioner of Police "There is a number of issues Jules. In terms of your number that you quoted I cannot say that that was the number that was at the existing patrol branch. You must understand that Belize City has grown, it has expanded, not only in terms of businesses, houses etc., but also in terms of population. And so yes we put numbers because I dint believe that we'll ever have sufficient numbers, but what we have got to improve on is the community engagement."

BEL: "Connecting Homes, Improving Lives"
Many of you living in the urban areas, don't know what it's like to live without electricity. The closest experiences you may have are those occasional power outages. But many people living in the rural areas live in a perceptual state of darkness, where, for some, their only sources of light, is the restricted glow of candle light or stolen or borrowed electricity. BEL's "Connecting Homes, Improving Lives" project that was launched today, is changing that reality for rural communities across the country by installing free service entrance for rural residents. Today an official ceremony was held in Camalote Village and one of the recipients, Mark Andrews explained how this light initiative will light 'up' his life. Sean Fuller, Senior Manager, BEL "The European Union, the Government of Belize and B.E.L. initiated a project to electrify forty-three communities throughout this country. At the end of the project, we did a survey and we realized that about thirty or forty percent of the customers within these communities are connected to the system. The additional sixty or so percent of residents just could not afford the basic service entrance required to connect to the network. So the savings that we realized from the initial project, we went back to the EU and requested the use of those savings to install service entrances for the needy.

Coye Suit Against Arthur Saldivar Filed
Up to yesterday, exiled PUP candidate Arthur Saldivar's supporters could still say that he had not been criminally charged and that no suit had been filed against him for Melonie Coye's money. But, now, sources tell us that the suit was filed by Eamon Courtenay at the Supreme Court this morning. Courtney had written to Saldivar in July requiring him to return the money by the end of the month. Meonie Coye 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. She says Saldivar left with nine hundred and four thousand dollars in a suitcase and since then he has refused to return the money. Her attorney Eamon Courtenay wrote in the letter that there is no lawful basis on which Saldivar is holding unto the nearly one million dollars.

Arthur Vs PUP, The Remix
So, the Saldivar saga continues. After being booted as a standard bearer in the PUP National Executive meeting yesterday he says he is consulting his supporters in Belize Rural North. Things unfold late in the evening yesterday - so we didn't get a chance to put all Saldivar's choice comments in context. We do so tonight - as we look back at the press conference to announce his removal and Saldivar's entertaining response:.. Jules Vasquez reporting After the meeting - members of the executive stood and milled around and while you might get the idea that it was a decision lightly taken… Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the PUP "It is never easy for anyone to sit in judgment if you like of any colleague of theirs. So it was not an easy decision. It was not a decision taken lightly." But, it was taken: Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the PUP "With immediate effect, Mr. Arthur Saldivar is removed as the standard bearer for Belize Rural North for the People's United Party and is removed as a member of the national executive of the party." Arthur Saldivar, Former PUP Std. Bearer - BRN "If that is the decision then the party has abandoned me."

Machel Montano 3rd Concert In Belize
With all the advertising both on TV, radio and social media, you should know that Trinidadian Soca Superstar Machel Montano is set perform in a headline event on the Independence eve. It's also his third visit to the country, and his last major concert happened in 2005 when he was the UNICEF Youth Ambassador. In that event, he performed for thousands of primary and high school youths. But his first visit was in 1998, when he was only just making his rise in the Caribbean Soca scene. In that concert, he and his other performers brought out thousands of fans to the Belize City Civic Center. Concertgoers may remember that at that event, there was hardly any standing room in the entire Civic. Today, at a press conference held at the Bliss, he told the local media that he's hoping to draw similar if not bigger crowds at his 20th night concert, given that the local soca scene has grown. Here's how he explained it:

Belize Celebrate Independence With Mexico
3 days remain before Belize's Independence Day while Mexico celebrated their independence on Tuesday with a Military Parade at Zocalo Square in downtown Mexico City and Belize was represented in the grand parade by the Belize Coast Guard. The Heads of the Belizean delegation were CEO in the Ministry of National Security, George Lovell, and Coast Guard Commander John Borland. Mexico celebrated its 204th anniversary of Independence on Tuesday.

Sr. Supt. Broaster Defends "Not In My City"
And now, for two more news items on the police press conference. We know we've already done like ten of them, but it's very rare that we get a chance to grill the entire police command about crime. We're trying to understand, or to see if they understand what really drives crime - which brought us to the Not In My City operation. It was launched with much fanfare on August 12th. and was supposed to make September safe. But with last night's spree of shootings, we wondered, is it effective? Here's what Senior Superintendent Broaster said about it today:.. Jules Vasquez "Are you concern that this happen in the middle of an operation that you all I believe in the midst of a quite heavy operation with extra personnel and here you have this outburst of violence and there is no ability to contain it?" Sr. Supt. Edward Broaster, Deputy Commander, Eastern Division "Jules, there will always be incidents that occur in any time period or within any operation, but what we intend to do is to ensure that the escalation of this violence does not go any further. We will be implementing other measures that will mitigate the escalation of these violence very shortly."

PM Bristles; Says Government Didn't Pay Gangs
And in one last news item from the press conference, we'll show you how the PM bristled at the suggestion that his government paid gangs to keep the peace. It is one of the most unpopular initiatives ever undertaken by his government - but to hear the PM tell it, it never happened - he says people are confusing issues with a work programme:.. Reporter "Is the state still paying gang members and....." Prime Minister Dean Barrow "What kind of question that "do you still beat your wife?" It's of that nature that you can't answer because what will you say? We were never paying gang members. When did that happened?" Reporter "In the streets they were saying they were and actual gang members." Prime Minister Dean Barrow "People we had a work program at one time that you all know about. It work for a while and thereafter it didn't work. There was never any payment to gang members to say hold it down. We try to create employment opportunities, now we are doing so on a far more sustain basis because we got more monies and thank God we are doing it by way of the private sector, but there was never any payment to gang members in the context that your question seems to be placed."

Major Flooding In Blue Creek Toledo
There has been major flooding in Toledo in the past few days particularly in Blue Creek Village and Big Falls Village. Kenton Parham, District Emergency Coordinator for Toledo says that the flood waters rose to 15 to 18 feet above the local bridge. A local rice cultivator stated that he lost about 100,000 pounds of rice as a result of the flood; he states it is a total loss. Although Parham states that there were no causalities in the villages and that the flood waters have relatively subsided, this level of flooding has not been experienced in a while. Five families had to be evacuated but returned home within hours…

Channel 5

2 Dead, 6 Injured in Retaliatory Shootings, Belize City On Lockdown
Belize City came under siege on Wednesday. In a spate of seven hours, three men were murdered. It started in the early afternoon when Cyril McFoy, the father of a [...]

P.M. Barrow Meets With Police High Command to Address Crime Wave
The overnight violence in Belize City immediately prompted Prime Minister Dean Barrow to call a meeting with the brass of the Belize Police Department to address the ongoing reprisals that [...]

Government Pledges Additional Financial Resources to Tackle Crime
In an attempt to quell fears of further violence, P.M. Barrow has pledged that government will expend whatever financial and material resources necessary to address the ongoing issue of gang-related [...]

6 Men Detained in Overnight Shooting, Will They Be Charged?
Barrow says that he does not believe that any of the six men who are presently in detention will be charged for murder, that he says would only succeed a [...]

18 Kilos of Cocaine Found In Icebox Full of Fish
Police and Customs officers made a huge bust on Wednesday night in Orange Walk. Just under forty pounds of suspected cocaine with a street value of over one point three [...]

Dangriga Police Crack Down Drugs and Ammunition
Still in the south of the country – Dangriga Police report that this morning they conducted anti-drug operations in that municipality. The operation included the Special Branch Unit, the Dangriga [...]

Subdivision on North Ambergris Caye on Indefinite Hold
Tonight, News Five can confirm that a subdivision planned in Northern Ambergris Caye, about four miles from the town, is on hold. That subdivision – forty acres of wetland and [...]

Manuel Heredia on Hol Chan Marine Reserve Expansion
And then there’s the other issue. News Five has verified that the forty acres surveyed for the subdivision is completely within an area proposed for a marine reserve expansion. Information [...]

Vetting Committee Set Up to Review Visa Regulations
Minister of Immigration Godwin Hulse told News Five last week that he recently brought to Belize the passport issued illegally to Korean national Won Hong Kim back in September 2013. [...]

Godwin Hulse Draws Parallel Between Arthur Saldivar and Elvin Penner
Attorney Arthur Saldivar was dumped on Wednesday by his party following a meeting of the P.U.P. Executive. Saldivar was removed as standard bearer for the Belize Rural North but says [...]

Another Allegation of GSU Brutality on Jane Usher Boulevard
In this newscast, we have carried untold numbers of allegations of brutality at the hands of the police. Tonight, residents of the Jane Usher Boulevard are alleging that they were [...]

ComPol Whylie Assures More Boots on the Ground
At the top of the newscast, we told you of the three murders and shootings that transpired in a span of seven hours on Wednesday. The violence has put the [...]

Police Brass Discuss Gang Matrix
Assistant Commissioner of Police Dezeree Phillips and Deputy Officer Commanding Eastern Division Edward Broaster also explained the gang matrix, as it relates to the ongoing criminal activities.  According to Phillips, [...]

B.E.L. to Electrify a Thousand Homes for Free
Forty-three communities across the country will be added to the national grid. Included are a thousand Belizeans who will get free service entrance installations for electricity. The project is called [...]

Dancehall Artists Alkaline in Belize
Despite the crime, there are a number of concerts planned for this weekend in Belize City and Cayo. This morning, Soca King, Machel Montano appeared on Open Your Eyes inviting [...]

CTV3

Thief Invades Homes In Xaibe Village
Today a massive man hunt by residents and members of the Daniels family in the village of Xaibe was promptly activated in the outskirts of the village after an alleged thief gained unauthorized entrance into their home.The incident occurred a little before midday today. 41 year old Delia Daniels went to a nearby store in the village when a Hispanic man made himself into her house by removing the screen of her kitchen window.Upon her return, she realized that her window was wide open. Daniels told us that upon arrival she felt that the perpetrator was still inside her home. A neighbor informed Daniels that they saw the culprit allegedly wearing a yellow shirt, jump over the fence and ran across the road into a nearby cane field and fled.

Cervantez's alleged Killers Go Back To Court
Accused murderers twenty-two year old Noe Daniel Gonzalez, twenty-eight year old Mateo Pott and nineteen year old Angel Antonio Cardenas were escorted back to Orange Walk Magistrate’s Court this morning. Since the much sensationalized incident occurred, the trio have been charged of kidnapping and murder of 71 year old Ramon Cervantes Sr which occurred on July 2nd. Other charges on their rap sheet include firearm offences for a twelve gauge shotgun and five shotgun shells. Noe Gonzalez, Mateo Pott and Angel Antonio Cardenas were taken to the Belize Central Prison this afternoon. They are to reappear in Court on October 28th, 2014.

Survey Reveals Increase In HIV Cases In Corozal
In the month of June, the Ministry of Health, released its 2013 report for the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the country and the results were damning. The report showed that over the past three years, the number of new cases of the virus is continuous. The data even showed that there are more men affected with the disease. In Corozal, the Commission of AIDS also conducted a survey last year which brought to light the fact that there has been a slight increase of patients with the virus. Elmer Cornejo – PR AIDS Commission “In 2013, I just receive that report, in 2013 there were over 200 cases of new HIV infections, of that if I am not mistaken around 60 or so were new HIV cases that were people under the age of 30.”Victor Castillo – Reporter“Now, what is this showing now?”

O/W, The Place To Be for The 21st September
With the biggest Independence Parade set to take place in Orange Walk just a few days away, Belizeans from all corners of the country will make their way anticipating the biggest celebration in Belize’s September Calendar of activities. Public Relations officer at the Town Council, German Novelo, says there will be fireworks and entertainment with the action kicking off tomorrow night with the Drum Fete.German Novelo – Public Relations Officer, OWTC“On the 18th we are having the Drum Fete at the Fort Cairns Market Plaza, on the 19th we are having the children’s rally and a mass at 6:30pm on George Price Avenue in commemoration of the Honourable George Cadle Price, 20th night we have flag raising ceremonies, cultural presentations, official flag raising ceremonies and we have confirmed that we are having the best fireworks. We will be having four bands playing on the 20th night. On the 21st we are having the ceremonies at 3:00pm followed by the parade I assure you that we will not disappoint Belizeans as during the parade we will be having Oscar B backed up by Youth Connection Band.”

Jouvert Coming To Orange Walk
The much anticipated 13th Annual Drum Fete is scheduled for Thursday at the Fort Cairns Plaza and promises to live up to its reputation with a series of dance presentations and the newest routines the Central Drum Corp has created for this year. Director of the Drum Corp, Eldred Neal, says members of the Central Drum Corp will put on a show that you don’t want to miss.Eldred Neal – Director of the Drum Corp“It’s no other place than Fort Carns Plaza, it is right behind the Town Hall and it start immediately after the news come Thursday 18th September on Centaur TV and Live on Fiesta Radio so for those of you who can’t make it out stick close to the television screen because we are going to be bringing you the treats of this year’s colours and sounds and of course what is to become the 21st day of September. Central drum corp. has been around for too many years long before I got here but I know this in fact is the 13th year of the Drum-Fete and it has been held at the Fort Carns Plaza so for those of you who have been a part of it and for those of you who will be the first time and interest you to come out and I really want to say kudos and a big thank you to my sponsors; Tropigas who always gives you more, Smart, Bringing People together, Old Maters Rum, the Spirit of Belize, Shell One Stop and of course your friendly Central Drum Corp, members and family.”

Arthur Saldivar Removed As PUP Standard Bearer For Belize Rural North
The People’s United Party today announced that they have decided to dismiss one of their own. Viewers may recall that Standard Bearer for the Belize Rural North Constituency, Arthur Saldivar, was suspended last month pending an investigation into allegations of misconduct and accusations of taking and failing to return over $900,000 from former clients Melonie and Marlene Coye. The Coye’s were released from charges of money laundering following a successful criminal appeal in March in which Saldivar represented them.Today, the PUP, having received the report from a committee set up last month to investigate the alleged wrongdoings, took the decision to remove Saldivar from the post of Standard Bearer and also as a member of the PUP Executive. Party Leader Francis Fonseca reportedly said today that the decision was weighed against what was best overall for the PUP and the entire country.

O/W Town Council To Appeal Justice Young's Decision
At the end of the day the Orange Walk Town Council has 21 days to appeal Justice Young’s decision and that is exactly what they will do. Under what grounds you may ask? Mayor Bernard explains. Kevin Bernard- Mayor of Orange Walk Town “This case definitely will be appealed by this Town Council because of the fact that when the Mayor now, the contract is one thing, the Mayor signed an agreement to pay De’mars Stone company on February 15th 2012 a few days before the election, there was never another council meeting after August 16th 2011 and worst so any decision for us to get into any agreement to pay De’mars Stone Company, those were our points in fact that this case we believe can and we can win in an appeal court and I believe that we have strong points that we can fight on and I believe that the people of Orange Walk needs to know that every amount of money that this council has had to be burden with; the Social Security debt, the Income Tax, the old RB’s bill, the old San Martin gas station bill, the old Landy’s and sons debt and all these debts that was left by the previous council for us to take care and if we now add on the De’mars Stone company bill you are talking about almost four hundred thousand dollars by the end of February just by the Social Security, the overdraft and the income tax we would have paid over $426, 000.00.”

Survey Finds There Is A Lack Of Information When It Comes To HIV
In 2013, the Commission of Aids group in Corozal Town conducted a survey where Corozalenos were asked to answer a number of questions pertaining to the HIV Virus. The findings of that report were released last month and it shows that there is a lack of information when it comes to the way HIV/AIDS is transmitted. One of the major concerns brought up was the transmission of the virus by mosquito bites. Elmer Cornejo - PR Aids Commission Corozal “Something that we found out while doing the survey because the survey was for young persons and a few people were thinking that HIV could be transmitted through a mosquito bite but obviously that can’t happen because the HIV virus only affects humans and cannot be transmitted otherwise other than through body fluid, through sharing needles and through blood transfusion so more than like you cannot get a HIV positive or if you get a mosquito bite.”

Streets In Orange Walk Will Be Ready For Parade Route
There is no doubt that the question that many Orange Walkenos are asking at the moment is whether the streets of Orange Walk Town, particularly those where the 21st parade will pass through will be in good conditions. While there is no shying away from the fact that some streets in Orange Walk continue to be in need of repair, it is also a fact that the Orange Walk Town Council has been upgrading streets as fast as they can go and with no held from Central Government we know that can’t be that fast. But what Orange Walkneos and visitors can rest assure is that come the 21st of September the streets that make up the parade route will be in good condition.

Justice Young Ruled That Former O/W Mayor Acted Out Of His Jurisdiction
Yesterday in the Supreme Court of Justice Sonya Young, the Orange Walk Town Council was ordered to pay Denny Gijalava, owner of Demar’s Stone Company here in Orange Walk, almost $100,000 inclusive of interest and court fees for streets fixed in Orange Walk. The agreement with Girjalva was made by the previous UDP Town Council headed by former Mayor Philip De La Fuente. The then town council paid Grijalva $90,000 and agreed to pay the remaining balance of the contract which stood at $138,000 in installments. But when the PUP Town Council was elected in 2012, they refused to pay Grijalva the remaining balance under the claim that proper procedure was not followed by De La Fuente. So, Grijalva took the matter to court and won. Yesterday when we interviewed De La Fuente he stated that the ruling was justifiable since Mayor Bernard, who at that time was a counselor, and all other councilors were in agreement of Grijalva being hired to pave the streets. The yes was allegedly given during a council meeting held on August 16th 2011. But, not so fast says Mayor Bernard. While he agrees that a council meeting was held, he totally refutes that the council agreed to hire Girjalva.

LOVE FM

Upgrade On Visas
In January legislation was passed for the creation for a visa vetting committee. Minister Hulse said that has been done and the Committee has been hard at work. GODWIN HULSE “We are in the process now of reviewing the entire visa regulations, there are about 60 of them over the years. We are trying to amalgamate them, not trying, we are amalgamating them into one so that there is one document with all the respective content that have wavers etc. etc. The committee is up and running we are also going to be establishing specific visas because you have to understand that this country’s visa laws dates back to 1963 and so when we got independence they still obtained. We are now going to create the student visa, employment visa or what you call work permit visa, visitor visa and all of those so that we clear up because what is happening is a lot of people get visitor’s visa come to Belize, they come here intending to work and then they stay and they get stamped. We want to clean up all of that and we are working in that direction.”

Shooting Terror Unfolds In The City
“As we mentioned, six persons were shot – two died and another is at the KHMH fighting for his life. It all happened in a span of two hours and we start with the murder of 25 year old Clifford Simeon Flores. Flores was along with two friends sitting on a vehicle on Caeser Ridge Road when a SUV approached and a person from the vehicle fired several shots at them. Flores was hit to the abdomen and lower back. He was transported to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital and died while undergoing treatment. Flores was shot at around 7:20 last night and 45 minutes later gunfire rang out on Central American Boulevard and this time 26-year-old Joseph Roland was shot. Roland who is from Pelican Street was standing at the corner of Central American Boulevard and Antelope Street Extension purchasing food when a man snuck up on him from the rear, pointed a gun to his head and fired a single shot. He was rushed to the KHMH where he is now fighting for his life. An hour later, terror was unleashed on an unsuspecting group hanging out on Angel Lane. Four persons were shot but one died. 26 year old John Avilez was with the group when a vehicle came from the direction of North Front Street and a male person came out of the vehicle and fired several shots in the direction of the men. Avilez received gunshot wounds to the right side of the chest and left arm. He died while undergoing treatment at the KHMH. 28-year-old Nigel Ferguson of Brides Alley was shot to the left cheek, 30-year-old Mark Alamilla of Pinks Alley received injury to the left upper leg, 28-year-old William Savery of Angel Lane was shot to the right side of the buttocks. Ferguson and Alamilla are in stable conditions while Savery is in a critical condition.”

K.H.M.H Activates Mass Casualty Plan
The pause in gun violence over the last few days in the streets of Belize City rendered some semblance of peace and ceasefire particularly among the gang members of the old capital. But when shots rang out yesterday afternoon next door to St. Ignatius Primary School on Euphrates Avenue in Belize, just minutes before the time of dismissal, many residents, unaware of the gang affiliations and network, did not anticipate that it was the start of a hail of shootings that, some hours later, would descend upon the city’s streets. It got so grave that even hospital authorities were forced to up their effectiveness through the activation of their Mass Casualty Plan after six injured persons were delivered, simultaneously, to the Accident and Emergency Department of the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. The Mass Casualty Plan takes effect, according to hospital authorities, when the normal flow of emergency care is interrupted or outdone. As a result of the plan’s activation, human resources were increased as additional help was summoned via support staff, nurses, surgeons and doctors. The plan even extends to its security services as additional guards were called in last night to secure the facility’s perimeter as well as giving the staff a sense of security while carrying out their duties.

National Service Day Celebrated In Memory of Hon. George Cadle Price
Three years ago on September 19, a blanket of melancholy enveloped Belize as the news on the death of the country’s first Premiere, George Cadle Price spread like wildfire. His death in 2011 came just two days short of Independence Day and ten days away from the sixty-first anniversary of the party he once led. Price was admitted to the Belize Healthcare Partners on Wednesday, September 14 after he fell at his Pickstock home where he was born and lived until the time of his death. Price or Preesho as he was affectionately referred to by many, left an imprint behind and a legacy that has been embedded in our history books. His funeral service which was held on the steps of the National Assembly, as a symbol and recognition of the works he put in to make us independent was flocked by many from all over the country. John Briceno, who was the PUP’s Party Leader at the time of Price’s passing, referred to Price as a man who was strong enough to lead a revolution and gentle enough to walk softly among the less fortunate. JOHN BRICENO “He was a man who walked among us like ordinary folk; never ever flinching in his love for Belize and for the people. He was strong enough to lead a revolution and gentle enough to walk softly and comfortably among the less fortunate. He so loved Belize and what this tiny nation could become that he dedicated his entire life in her service. His family was the Belizean people, his home stretched from the proud Rio Hondo to the Old Sarstoon. Perhaps it was what we all saw in him that made us love him so much for he was a man who believed in God and loved all people and he always believed in the future.”

Minister Hulse Says Passport Is In the Hands of The Police
Last week it was revealed that Immigration Minister Godwin Hulse brought back the controversial passport that was issued for South Korean Won Hong Kim. Today Minister Hulse was asked whether Citizens Organized for Liberty Through Action, COLA who brought a private prosecution against Elvin Penner who was implicated in the case had requested the passport. While he said he was not aware of any such request he went into the process involved. GODWIN HULSE “I brought the passport yes so there is a chain of custody that you always have to have. The ambassador gave it to me properly signed over I signed it over to our CEO and the police so the last thing I know is that it is in the hands of the police. I don’t know where it is going from there. I know it’s supposed to go to the DPP for the police to deal with that and as you know this minister never interferes with the police and police business, absolutely not.”

Households to Benefit from B.E.L’S Project:Connecting Homes, Improving Lives
A special ceremony was held in Camalotte Village in the Cayo District for a project entitled Connecting homes, improving lives. This is a collaborative effort of Belize Electricity Limited, the Government of Belize and the European Union. Sean Fuller explained how the project came about and the objective. SEAN FULLER “In early 2010 Belize Electricity Limited submitted a project proposal to the European Commission ACP EU energy facility entitled ‘Provide Electrification to marginal and oppressed rural and peri-urban communities in Belize from renewable energy sources through grid extension. This project was approved for grant financing from the European Union on December 6th 2010. The goal of the tripartheid initiative between the European Union, Belize Electricity Limited and the Government of Belize is to provide electricity supply to improve the standard of living, to provide opportunity for economic growth and to remove the peril of unsafe and unauthorized electricity supply to the identified rural and peri-urban areas. 43 urban and rural communities across six districts throughout the country of Belize were selected. That translated to some 1700 households comprising of approximately 8,500 individuals. At the end of the process however a survey showed that most of the households, as much as 50%, were not able to afford the cost of installing the basic service entrance required to connect to the grid.”

TIDE Launches CleanUp Campaign
The Toledo Institute for Development and Environment along with several of its partners will be conducting a cleanup campaign on Friday. Love News got the details from TIDE’s Education and outreach coordinator, Norman Budna. “The Toledo Institute for Development and Environment TIDE jointly with the Toledo Education Department and the Punta Gorda town council and the Belize National Scout Association is inviting the public to participate in the international beach and water ways cleanup campaign. The event is scheduled for tomorrow September 19th starting at 9AM to 11:30AM. Areas of clean up are inland water ways and Punta Gorda coastal beach. Ocean and waterways trash ranks as one of the most serious pollution problems of our time, much more than that it is an eyesore in the water and the shore affecting the health of people, wildlife and economy. Whether we live on a beach or thousands of miles from the coastlines we all have a profound stake in an ocean that is healthy and abundant. For example trash that is in the water injures swimmers and boat goes, it harms and wildlife. It drives away tourists and their wallets and ensnares the boat propeller; it is a costly navigation hazard. Although marine debris is one of the most challenging problems it is also one of the most preventable.

PlusTV

Belmopan Mayor discusses residents’ concerns
Mayor Simeon Lopez, Mayor of the Capital City of Belmopan, appeared on Rise and Shine morning show Wednesday morning, to address various issues of concern to residents of Belmopan. Topics ranged from street works happening in the city, renovations of the Civic Center and the relocation of the market...

Work Soon On Maya Mopan Bridge
On Tuesday we told you about the bridge in Maya Mopan, Belmopan, that is in need of some urgent repairs. The bridge, which has been standing for some 15 years, has been deteriorating over time making it hazardous for vehicles to cross...

Belmopan Market is a Parking Lot; Mayor Had No Say
Simeon Lopez,  Mayor of Belmopan, addressed the matters concerned with the controversial Belmopan Tuesday/Friday Market, and the 2.2 million dollar grant given to the Government by the European Union to build a Market. But before we get into the money matters, we first asked the Mayor to definitive...

Market Rent Increased $2 Since Renovations Begun
The Mayor of Belmopan, Simeon Lopez,  recounted the Vendors’ plight when the City Council moved towards a change in the financial regime under which they operated from. Mayor Simeon Lopez explained the backdrop of that story Simeon Lopez - Mayor of Belmopan “Before they left, they were paying ten...

PUP drops Arthur Saldivar as Standard Bearer
On Wednesday, the main opposition People’s United Party (PUP)’s National Executive decided to remove Arthur Saldivar as its Standard Bearer for the Belize Rural North Constituency, as well as from its National Executive...

Murder reported in Belize City
There was a mid-afternoon murder in Belize City. The shooters, who visited a yard on Dean Street and Euphrates Avenue on Wednesday afternoon around 2:00 p.m., did not get their man, but they did end the life of another and sent a third to the hospital...

Fatal Traffic Accident on Southern Highway
There was a fatal traffic accident on the Southern Highway early Wednesday morning. A police officer died in that accident. 29-year-old Police Constable Marvin Sedacy of Cattle Landing, who was serving with the Traffic Department in Toledo, died around mile 4 on the Southern Highway, when the Ford E...

Patriotic Forum In Belmopan Considers Our Future
There was a forum held in Belmopan on Tuesday night as part of the September celebrations, reflecting on Belize at 33 years of Independence...

Man looks for his 15 year old Daughter
Francis Coc, a resident of Maya Mopan area, Belmopan, is calling on the public’s assistance in locating his 15 year old daughter Briana Barrie Coc. According to Mr Coc, on Monday, September 14^th,  after what seemed like a normal day, his daughter apparently went missing. Francis Coc “Yesterday, a...

Man Charged For Murder Of Ariel Diaz
On Monday we told you about the body of Ariel Diaz, who was found on Saturday somewhere in the Duck Run three area, Spanish Lookout, with his head almost completely decapitated. On Wednesday, Luven Perrez, a Guatemalan National, who is believed to have been socializing with Ariel Diaz prior to his m...

Assault charge dropped after witness changes testimony
The accuser of a man remanded on murder and attempted murder charges now says police forced him to make a statement implicating 22 year old Deondray McKoy, in an incident of aggravated assault...

GSU bust man with unlicensed firearm
The Gang Suppression Unit (GSU) say they took another firearm off the streets. 22 year old Gildon Rivers of Antelope Street Extension, Belize City, was remanded after pleading not guilty to keeping a firearm without a gun license, when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith. On Monday, ...

Objections Raised to Proposed Upgrade of Government House in Belize City
On September 10, during ceremonies to mark the 216th anniversary of the Battle of St...

The Guardian

Erotic and Jump Street Posse Mash Up the Place!
There were fourteen bands registered for this year’s Carnival Road March and at the end of the day one band was allegedly disqualified, one was M.I.A. and two were crowned champions. Registered to compete in the junior large band category were Pickstock Carnival Band from the Victoria Street area, Jump Street Posse from the Albert Street area, Sunshine Masqueraders from the Yarborough (Southside) area and Trenchtown Masqueraders from the Bailar area. Dynamic Dancers and Western Paradise were registered in the small band category. Registered to compete in the senior large band category this year were Eternity Mass Band from Lake Independence, Mother Nature’s Creation from the St. Thomas Street area, Soca Warriors Mass Band from near Queen Square Primary School, Erotic Carnival Band from Caribbean Shores area and Soca Moca Carnival Band from the Rogers Stadium area. Registered to compete as senior small bands were Belizean Jewels from Euphrates Avenue, Evolution Mass Band from the Fort George area and Rampage Carnival Band.

Hogs throw Hog outa Hog Pen! PUP gets rid of Arthur Saldivar
We cannot begin to imagine what kind of soul-searching the PUP must have gone through in the past 21 days but it appears that they believe they have found something that resembles it. This, after they decided to once and for all rid themselves of Arthur Saldivar. Saldivar has a whirlwind of allegations of impropriety swirling about him and the stench that is rising from these allegations is too much for even the PUP to handle. This party which is known and is proven to be the most corrupt in this country is holding its nose while simultaneously casting Arthur Saldivar out of their hog pen. Their leader, Francis Fonseca, boldly made the declaration on Wednesday afternoon during a press conference. Saldivar was immediately removed from his position as PUP standard Bearer and member of the national executive of their party. Fonseca says the decision was taken after they reviewed the outcome of a so-called investigation which was carried about Saldivar’s behavior. In typical PUP fashion, the outcome of the investigation was not made public so what it did or did not uncover about Saldivar’s behavior will never

Saint Catherine’s Academy floats Bond to finance Multipurpose Student Center
Administrators of Saint Catherine’s Academy announced on Monday, September 15 that they will be floating a bond to finance a Multipurpose Student Center. The bond will be for $2,850,000 and will be in three series for 10, 20 and 25 years. The bond will be initially earn 4% interest with a step up to 5% at the end of 10 years and 6% at the end of 20 years. The bond issuance will be done in denomination of $1000 dollars and similar units thereafter. According to the institution, the finances will be used for the center which will house a basketball court, cafeteria, locker rooms, showers, public restrooms as well as a stage to accommodate performances and commencement exercises at the institution. The upper floor of the building will have a fitness center, toilet facilities and a dormitory.

Work Continues in the Twin Towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena
Major infrastructural works continue in the Twin Towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena as preparations are being made to infuse more funds into the area to boost employment. Major streets in the busiest section of San Ignacio Town have recently been completed bringing back to normal the free flow of traffic in the area. The section of Burns Avenue bordered by Atlantic Bank, Scotia Bank and the Belize Bank has been upgraded to cement and with a 4 feet tiled sidewalk at a cost of $150,000.00 A former deteriorated section in front of the San Igancio Police Station, know as King Street, has also been cemented at a cost of $225,000.00 The greatly improved aesthetics and permanency of roads in the business section of San Ignacio was done by PEC Company Ltd from Red Creek and could not have been done by the San Igancio and Santa Elena Town Council alone.

Old School blast White Eagles in Vega Cup Tournament
The Vega Cup Tournament continued on Sunday, September 14, at the Trial Farm Football Field in Orange Walk with four games on the schedule. In the first game of the day played, Old School blasted White Eagles FC by the score of 9-1. White Eagles were the first to get onto the scoreboard when Osmy Medina scored his team’s only goal of the game in the 8th minute of play to give his team a temporary lead. Meanwhile, the goals for Old School were scored by Eliazar Itza in the 14th, 25th, 28th, 62nd, 73rd, and 83rd minutes of play, Oliver Hendricks in the 17th minute of play, Adlair Chan in the 83rd minute of play and an auto goal by number 39 of White Eagles.

Oscar Quiroz Jr. of Western Spirit captures September Criterium
The Cycling Federation of Belize in partnership with the Belize City Council and Leslie’s Imports sponsored the Annual September Criterium held on Sunday, September 14, 2014, on Albert and Regent Streets downtown Belize City. In the Elite Category, it was Oscar Quiroz Jr. of Western Spirit that captured first place in the 30 laps event. Darnell Barrow of SMART took 2nd place, Giovanni Lovell of BTL took 3rd place, and Nissan Arana of Predators took 4th place while Gregory Lovell also of BTL took 5th place. In the junior category, 1st place went to Keion Robateau of BECOL Uprising. The second rider to cross the finish line was Tariq Flowers of Benny’s Megabytes, third place went to Kaydin Pinello of BECOL, fourth place went to Delon Gentle of BECOL Uprising and fifth place went to Zahir Figueroa also of BECOL Uprising.

Sagitun FFB President’s Cup champions
The Football Federation of Belize 2014 President’s Cup came to an end on Saturday, September 13, at the Michael Ashcroft Stadium with the second and final game of the championship. In the game played, Sagitun FC and the visiting San Antonio FC played to a 3-3 draw. However, because Sagitun FC had won game one by the score of 2-1, Sagitun was crowned the champions of the President’s Cup tournament by an aggregate score. Sagitun FC got on the scoreboard first when Delone Torres scored the 1st goal of the game in the 10th minute of play to give his team a 1-0 lead. The lead was extended when Delone Torres scored his 2nd goal of the game in the 17th minute of play for a 2-0 lead. Still in the first half of the game, Sagitun FC scored yet again this time when Rollin Burgess scored his team’s 3rd and final goal of the game in the 25th minute of play for a 3-0 lead.

Cycling Federation to hold Test Races towards National Team
The Cycling Federation of Belize will be holding its second and third test races this coming Saturday September 20, 2014 and on Monday September 22, 2014. The second test race is scheduled for Saturday September 20, 2014 commencing at 2:00 pm on the Boom Circuit. The third test race is scheduled for Monday September 22, 2014, commencing at 2:00 pm on the Princess Margaret Drive between the SJC Round-About to A Street.

Securities Fraud suspects await extradition
For the past week, Belize has been making major news in different business newspapers in the US and the region after the US Department of Justice unsealed a case in New York which named 6 defendants who have ties to the country and have been doing business in the offshore sector. In that multi-count indictment, US authorities are accusing these men of helping more than 100 US citizens and residents to defraud the US Government of approximately 1 billion Belize dollars in a tax evasion scheme. These businessmen are Bahamians 34 year old Kelvin Leach, 29 year old Rohn Knowles; Canadians, 44 year-old Cem “Jim” Can, and 45 year-old Brian De Wit; 70 year-old American Robert “Bob” Bandfield; and the only Belizean, 51 year-old Andrew Godfrey. They have been named in the indictment including 6 corporate defendants (meaning that their businesses are being treated as defendants) IPC Management Services, LLC; IPC Corporate Services Inc.; IPC Corporate Services LLC (collectively, IPC Corp); Titan International Securities, Inc. (Titan); Legacy Global Markets S.A. (Legacy); and Unicorn International Securities LLC. All 12 of these defendants are accused of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, tax fraud, and money laundering.

Cop dies in traffic incident
A police officer from the Punta Gorda Police Station was killed in a terrible traffic accident on the Southern Highway on Wednesday, September 17. It happened between miles 3 and 4 at around 7:45 a.m., when 28 year-old Constable Marvin Sedassey was driving his brown Ford Escort car heading toward his home in Cattle Landing. Police aren't sure at this time what caused the accident, but the constable's vehicle ended up in the lane of a white freight truck. The head-on collision crushed and compressed the front end of the escort and Sedassey died from massive head and body injuries he suffered on impact.

Alden Sutherland Arraigned for Arson
Hector Choj, Manager of JEC, was the victim of arson when his $60,000 grey 2008 Toyota Tacoma was set on fire on Sunday, September 14. On Wednesday, September 17, police escorted Alden Sutherland, 39, to the Belize City Magistrates Court since they believe he is the man responsible for starting the fire. In a report to police, Choj said he parked his vehicle on Saturday, September 13, around 8:30 a.m. in front of his apartment on Youth for the Future Drive. At about 2 a.m. on Sunday, September 14, he was informed by a security guard from the JEC Company that his vehicle was on fire. By the time Choj rushed downstairs to check the security guard had already out the fire. Destroyed was a grey fiberglass wheel valued at $1,183, a Hankook tire valued at $581 and a bed liner which was in the pan of the truck valued at $2,126.21.

Francis Fonseca does not know the difference between a Trade Agreement and a Loan!
Journalist Jules Vasquez has planted a bee in the head of Leader of Opposition Francis Fonseca. That bee has obviously become an annoying buzz in Fonseca’s head, a head which under normal circumstances would have been devoid of any idea much less a thought. Now the often subdued Fonseca is wondering out loud whether a TRADE BALANCE due to Petrocaribe from the purchase of fuel and oils is a loan that should require approval by Parliament. Not being a LAWYER as is Fonseca, one will choose to apply logic here. • The balance being debated is as a result of a trade. Belize received fuel and oil (commodities) for 40% of value paid in the short term and 60% on preferential terms. • The exchange of goods and service is continuous and volumes dynamic as is consistent with TRADE. • The extension of preferential payment terms is at the discretion of the CREDITOR and to the best of ones knowledge did not require a sovereign Government guarantee. • LOANS have fixed value fixed terms and occur once and normally involve transfer of CASH, not exchange of continuous goods and services.

Fuentes pays himself before doing the people’s work
Viewers almost shed a tear for Anthony Fuentes as he appeared on television on September 9th claiming that he did nothing wrong when he tied the subvention which Punta Gorda town receives to a private loan which he owes at the Toledo Teachers Credit Union. A loan agreement which the Guardian has received shows that in May of this year the Town Board entered into a loan agreement with the credit union for $32,187.42 the money was supposedly counterpart funding of 2% under the Belize Municipal Development Project. There is great concern whether the council should have even entered into this arrangement especially since the town is completely strapped for cash, being unable to even carry out its rudimentary functions. More worrying is that there was no approval granted for the loan to be made by the ministry of finance as is required by law.

Young Motivator Awarded Key to Belize City
Anthony Gabourel Gill is no ordinary 12-year-old California kid. He is a youth motivator whose speech delivery has been compared to that of the legendary Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Gill has been visiting Belize for the past three years to speak to primary and secondary school students and in recognition of his contributions to Belize the Mayor of Belize City, His Worship Darrel Bradley, presented him with the Keys to Belize City on Monday, September 15. Mayor Bradley says presenting the Key to the City to Anthony Gill is “perhaps the best presentation I have been able to do as Mayor”. Bradley says, “He is a force for good in the world. He is a force for change.” Mayor Bradley says the Key to the City is reserved for visiting members of government, statesmen and people who have made significant contributions to Belize City. The Mayor says, “You Anthony stand tallest among them even though [in terms of height] you may be the shortest among them.”

Two faced Lisa Shoman speaks against and condones domestic violence
On Monday, August 12th 2013, PUP Port Loyola Standard Bearer Gilroy Usher Sr. was charged with Harm after beating his 51 year old wife, Magdalena Usher, in the head with, of all things, a pint bottle. Now it’s terrible enough to beat a woman, but to beat a 51 year old woman in the head with a pint bottle, well you be the judge of that. Usher appeared in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court to answer the charges to which he pleaded not guilty, he was offered a $900 bail and his case was adjourned to the 25th September of the same year. At the time of setting the adjournment the Magistrate ordered that, “he attends the Batterers Intervention Program at the Women’s Department. He must also not interfere with the complainant” – in this case his wife – and he must temporarily move in with his daughter at Lizarraga Avenue. In a subsequent Press release on the same day Gilroy announced that the matter had been amicably resolved and that Magdalena would withdraw her complaint. Many wondered at the time why the complaint was withdrawn but it is the complainant’s prerogative to do so. In Magdalena’s case allegations abounded that Hon. Dolores Balderamos Garcia accompanied by, you guessed it, attorney Lisa Shoman herself, visited the complainant and persuaded her to withdraw the charges.

Murder and retaliation in the City
At press time on Wednesday night, September 17, police sources told our newsroom that there were 3 separate shootings in the City, and it is believed that they are all connected with the murder 56 year-old Cyril McFoy Robinson which happened 5 hours earlier. McFoy Robinson was inside his yard at around 2 p.m. at the corner of Dean Street and Euphrates Avenue, which is right beside St. Ignatius Primary School. He was playing dominoes with 3 other men when a gunman ambushed them and fired shots into the crowd. 45 year-old Sean Cherrington was shot in the leg while McFoy Robinson was injured in the head. He died on the spot while police managed to rush Cherrington to the hospital for treatment. It is believed that Robinson was not the intended target for that shooting, and that the gunman may have been looking for Robinson's son, Brandon "BT" Tillett, who was reportedly on the scene but managed to escape when the bullets started flying.

Body found in Cayo almost decapitated
A body was found in the Cayo District which had almost been decapitated. At about 4:40 am on Sunday of this past weekend, police responded to a report that a male person was lying on a street on Duck Run Three in the Spanish Lookout Area. The body was found in an area known as Emerald Trail and it was that of a Hispanic descent man with low hair cut. He was wearing a grey in color t-shirt with blue jeans pants. On further inspection, the authorities identified the male person as being 34 year old Guatemalan laborer of Duck Run Three, Pedro Ariel Diaz Guillen, who had a large cut to the upper body, near the neck almost severing the neck.

Moses Coc clubbed to death in San Pedro
For 2014, San Pedro has been experiencing a spike in violent crimes on the island, and in the last 2 weeks, there have been 2 murders. The latest one happened on Saturday, September 13 at around 11 p.m. 31 year-old Moses Coc, a salesman who lived on Sea Grape Drive on the Island, was walking with his friend on Swan Street when they were attacked by a dark skinned man. That man continuously clubbed Coc in the back of the head with a piece of wood until he collapsed on the ground. He was picked up by a passing vehicle and transported to the Polyclinic, but the injuries to the head were too severe. He succumbed to his injures while he was being attended to by one of the doctors.

Contraband goods found in Western Belize
An operation launched by San Ignacio Police at around 2:20 pm last Friday has netted goods that had not passed legally through Belize’s Western Border gateway at Customs. As a result of this and other incidents, efforts are now being made to improve on security at Belize’s border. On the strength of a search warrant, Police visited the residence of a couple on the Paslow Falls Road in Bullet Tree, at first officers did not find anything illegal. On further inspection of their yard, Police found two large holes in the ground measuring four feet in depth and five feet in width covered by zinc and lumber over which were coconut leaves, branches and dirt. An assortment of soft drinks were found by Police, along with 153 cases of beer and 64 cases of beer at another location under-ground. As a result of this incident, Cleofido Balan and Virginia Balan, along with the goods, were taken to the Custom Station on the Benque Viejo Border.

Brandon Walter Escarpeta Convicted for G...
A Belize City teenager who chose to lie to the police about his real name must pay the court $105 by November 30, 2014 or serve two months in prison. 18-year-old Brandon Walter Escarpeta of #27 Berkeley Street in Belize City is accused of committing a mischievous act when he told police on Tuesday, September 16, that his name was David Walter Escarpeta when he knew his true name to be Brandon Walter Escarpeta. Escarpeta appeared in court on Wednesday, September 17, before Magistrate Dale Cayetano where he was unrepresented and wasted no time by pleading guilty to the offense. Since the offense is a misdemeanor and it was Escarpeta’s first offense for such a matter, he was imposed a non-custodial sentence in a fine of $100 plus $5 cost of court fee.

Man fine $100 for walking an un muzzled ...
On Thursday September 4 Ian Herrera appeared before Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith where he was charged with permitting an unmuzzled ferocious dog to be at large, being a Pit Bull. He wasted no time and pleaded guilty to the offence for which he was fined $100 and $5 cost of court. In court Herrera told the Chief Magistrate that the dog was actually like a Chihuahua who likes to wag its tail and is friendly. To this the Chief Magistrate replied that a Pit Bull is not a friendly dog and she then fined him. Herrera has until September 12 to pay the fine in default, 1 month imprisonment.

Paul Morgan killed on King Street
Police continue to investigate the murder of 40 year-old Paul Rubio Morgan, who was shot and killed on King Street on Friday night at around 8 p.m. At this time, it is being investigated as a drug related, or gang related shooting because Morgan is reputed to have been a drug peddler. He was seated in his green and white Ford Explorer, which was parked at #37 Kings Street, and that's when a lone gunman on bicycle took advantage of the opportunity to ambush him. That shooter fired several shots at him, injuring him in the head, chin and left eye, rode off before police arrived a short time later. Morgan was rushed to the KHMH within a very short time later, but he died of the serious injuries he received.

GSU Busts Gildon Rivers with Empty .380 ...
The Gang Suppression Unit has taken another dangerous gun off the streets of Belize City. On Monday, September 15, 22-year-old Gildon Rivers was busted inside his home with an empty .380 revolver. Acting upon information received, the GSU raided the home of Rivers located at #96 Antelope Street Extension. The officers charged into the house and found Rivers holding the .380 revolver. When Rivers saw it was the police he dropped the firearm and police took him into custody. No bullet was found in the gun.

National Women’s Softball
The XXIV National Women’s Softball Championship will be played from October 3-5, 2014, at Rogers Stadium. The National Softball Championship is played between the champions and sub-champions of the Affiliated Associations that makes up the National Federation. The championship will feature from Belize City Belize Bank Bulldogs (Champions) and Beacon (Sub-champions), from Belize Rural Sunrise of Lord’s Bank (Champions) and Burrell Boom Orchid Girls (sub-champions), from the Cayo Association Roaring Creek Grace Kennedy (champions) and Esperanza Wolverines (sub-champions) and from Orange Walk Carmelita’s Caribbean Queen the number one seed. The championship will commence on Friday, October 3rd at 6:30 pm with game one between Beacon and Roaring Creek and this will be followed by game two, which will see Belize Bank Bulldogs against the Esperanza Wolverines. The championship will then continue on Saturday October 4, 2014, commencing at 9:00 am with a total of six games, and then the championship will concludes on Sunday October 5, with five more games.

A Reenergized GSU
Inspector Mark Flowers took reigns of the Gang Suppression Unit four weeks ago and since he did so there has been a reenergized unit once again operating in the streets. The unit which earned its reputation as riding hard and fast on criminal elements in the city had gone into a state of dormancy. During that spate, the gangs in the city flared up and the shootings were persistent with regular shootings taking place in the city. Flowers told the Guardian that under his watch he has increased the operational presence of the unit, driven solely by intelligence. He himself accompanies the officers at times he added. At this point in time he said the unit’s primary concern is criminal activity through gangs which orchestrate all manner of criminality including armed robberies and retaliatory action against one another.

Belmopan PUP Mayoral Candidate has mixed loyalties
Jose Chacon is the Mayoral candidate for the People's United Party in Belmopan and he is but months from declaring his candidacy and baggage is already being exposed. The Guardian Newspaper is reliably informed that this Chacon was born in El Salvador and has political aspirations in Belize. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this, but Chacon needs to decide whether he will be a politician in Belize or a politician in his home country. Reports are that during the last elections in El Salvador he was one of the main organizers to coordinate Salvadorans living in Belize to travel to their home country to vote for the winning party the FMLN. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, after all ties with home countries are never torn or erased. What is wrong however is that this Chacon character is a politico in El Salvador and is now attempting to enter political office in Belize. This leaves us to ask, where will his alliance really at. Will it be in Belize for the people of Belmopan or in El Salvador. Residents of Belmopan need to ask him that question when next they see him, if they ever do.

MOWT Signs More Contracts for Infrastructural Works
Today, Minister of Works and Transport, Hon. Rene Montero, signed more contracts for infrastructural works at the Ministry of Works and Transport Conference Room in the City of Belmopan. The works include: • The pavement of five miles of the old Northern Highway with hot mix asphalt cement commencing from the intersection of Phillip Goldson Highway and the old Northern Highway. The works will be executed by Rodla Construction at a cost of BZ$3,498,675.00; • Concrete pavement of Olivia Sentino and Cayo Streets in Punta Gorda Town and the concrete pavement of Ramos Road and a section of Ecumenical Drive (from highway to bridge) in Dangriga Town. Both projects will be executed by Cisco Construction Limited at a cost of BZ$662,523.00 and BZ$782,907.00, respectively; • Construction of a four-leg roundabout at the intersection of the George Price Highway, Faber’s Road and Lake Independence Boulevard. The 150 feet roundabouts will be constructed out of reinforced concrete. A similar roundabout will be constructed on the Phillip Goldson Highway to regulate traffic flow at the intersection with Chetumal Street. The works will also be executed by Cisco Construction Limited at a cost of BZ$3.6M;

September Celebrations Events held in Cayo
A series of events relating to the September Celebrations have been successfully held in the Cayo District. In all these events there was a constant reminder of this year’s Tenth of September theme, “Industrious Hands, Intelligent Minds, Together for Belize!” For the first time ever, Zone Ten Neighborhood Watch and the Cayo Neighborhood Watch Association (CNWA) joined forces for the morning of September 10th with a parade through the principal streets of Santa Elena Town into San Igancio Town. “It was great and well supported for a first time Santa Elena parade. The crowd was hype and exited with the presence of Lova Boy and Ernistine Carballo,” said Ernie Braun, President of the CNWA. Later during the day of September 10th, official ceremonies were held at the Administration Building in San Ignacio Town. It was an opportunity for outgoing Queen of the West, Vania Patt, to again hand over her crown to incoming Queen Carmelita A. Lara. In her speech the new Queen of the West for 2014-2015, Carmelita Lara, said she was accepting the crown with pride and dignity and thanked the Mayor of San Ignacio and Santa Elena, John August, and the September Celebrations Committee for organizing the Tenth events. Mayor John August also took the opportunity to inspect a standing guard of Belize Defense Force soldiers.

Primary Schools in Cayo receive much needed computer equipment
Some eight primary schools received on September 4, 2014 at the Sacred Heart College Campus in San Ignacio Town, a considerable donation of computers and stationery from students in the Republic of China, Taiwan. These computers will now be utilized to enhance education at schools around the Cayo District. In delivering the laptops to recipients, H.E. Benjamin Ho, Taiwanese Ambassador to Belize, said that a Country without education has no hope. “Information and Communication Technology ICT today is not a luxury, it should be a must for everyone…nobody should be denied of ICT,” said Ambassador Benjamin Ho. Schools like the El Progresso Government School received eight laptops and one projector while Buena Vista Primary School received seven laptops. Newly equipped with their laptops, both teachers and primary school children will now be able to link with anyone around the World.

No Safe Place
Several recent news stories underscore the dangers that confront women and girls worldwide. In Afghanistan seven men have been sentenced to death after being found guilty of gang raping four women returning from a wedding with their families. The women were first separated from their husbands and then robbed and raped. The only unusual feature of this story is that the men were actually charged for a crime that too often goes unreported and unpunished because women have a legitimate fear that if the crime is reported it is the women who will be charged and punished for adultery. The reason why justice was meted out so swiftly in this case was probably because the husbands felt disrespected by the actions of the perpetrators.A UN agency reported that African Union Peace Keeping Forces stationed in Somalia were routinely raping and sexually assaulting women and girls at their camps with the knowledge of those in authority. Similar reports concerning the soldiers of Peace Keeping forces in other countries are all too frequent. Although some of the sexual activity is probably commercial, the volume and age of the females suggests that a high percentage is coerced.

Patrick Jones

Toledo woman accused of drug trafficking
A woman from San Pedro Columbia village, Toledo was busted with just over two pounds of marijuana in her bag on Wednesday morning. According to police reports, officers intercepted and boarded a James Bus in Big Falls village and conducted a search on 26 year old Ana […]

Sisters charged for ATM card theft
A court prosecutor is out $910 because the persons who found his lost automatic teller machine (ATM) card refused to return it, despite his warnings, and dishonestly obtained money using it. 20 year old receptionist Chelsea Martinez, who works at the Blake Building on Pickstock Street, and her […]

Police outline targeted response to crime spike
After a deadly night in Belize City which reportedly forced the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) to implement its mass casualty plan, the senior officials of the Police Department and Prime Minister Dean Barrow called a briefing this afternoon at the Racoon Street Police Station. Wednesday’s killings were […]

Major drug bust reported in Orange Walk
Police in Orange Walk have arrested a man from Ranchito Corozal following the discovery of a large quantity of cocaine. 36 year old Axel Fuentes was driving a Toyota pickup truck when it drove up at a police checkpoint around 8:30 pm on Wednesday between miles 56 […]

Shooting incidents kill 2, leave 5 others injured
Seven persons were victims of three separate shooting incidents in Belize City last night. Two of the victims died. In the first incident, 25 year old Clifford Flores was shot multiple times as he and a friend sat on a vehicle on Caesar Ridge Road. Police say […]

Blogs

Tubing down the Macal River: Belize Floating Paradise
Anyone familiar with Chaa Creek’s history would know how important the Macal River was in those heady days before there was road access into Mick and Lucy’s family farm. One of the young couple’s first major purchases was a hand carved dugout canoe, locally known as a dory, which joined the small flotilla of farmers and neighbours making their way with produce into San Ignacio town every Saturday market Day. Yes, the Macal was indeed the lifeblood of the area and essential to living in what was a beautifully remote farm back in the day before cars, telephones, electricity and many 20th century comforts made their way in. Supplies, communications and visitors usually came by way of the river, and a last-minute night time dory ride made it possible for the Fleming’s first child to be born in the relative comfort and safety of town. We’ve seen every form of waterborne transport imaginable, from dories, canoes, skiffs and rafts of all kinds plying the Macal, and one of the more recent additions has become one of our favourites: Humble inner tube, take a bow! Tubes and the Macal seem like a match made in heaven. Gently making its way through the lush rainforest to San Ignacio Town before joining up with the Mopan to continue to the Caribbean Sea as the Old Belize River, the tranquil Macal is as inviting as they come. Wide enough but not too wide to easily swim across, usually serene and always lined with plenty of places to pull over and have a swim, snack or picnic, and with a colourful variety of birds, iguanas, monkeys and other forest dwellers in attendance, the Macal elevated tubing to new heights.

“Abracadabra” in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize.
Some of you (OK none of you -but allow me a little bit of ego) may have been wondering why I haven’t put out an edition lately. Quite simple really, there’s not been much that I’ve felt inclined to sit down and write about. There’s only so many times (me? I want it to go on forever!) you want to know that I got up early, made a mug of black coffee, grabbed the iPad and headed out to the veranda (the western, lagoon facing one) to enjoy “me time”. So what’s forced me out of this period of blogging inactivity. A force of nature that’s what. Yesterday morning I was sitting out on the veranda – probably been there a couple of hours or two mugs of coffee – when my reverie was broken by shouts from Rose telling me to get a machete and the key for the front gate and get down to the Garage on the ground quickly, very quickly. “Why” I called out. “There’s a snake there” she shrieked back. Obvious terror in her voice.

Staying at the El Rey Hotel: The Best Hotel in Belmopan, Belize
While travelling in Belize we decided to spend a couple of nights in Belmopan. Belmopan is the capital city of Belize and often sadly acts as merely a stop over for some. However we wanted to check this place out so we found the El Rey Hotel online and booked in for a couple of nights. It’s now my job to convince you to also spend a few nights in Belmopan – you will love it. It’s a relaxed, calm and peaceful city and best of all you can escape the tourists and explore what is the third smallest capital city in the world. While some travellers head to San Ignacio and base themselves there, that is just a tad too common, so Belmopan was the place for us. From my base in the El Rey Hotel in Belmopan, I was able to tour not only the city itself, but two separate day trips – one out to Actun Tunichil Muknal caves and another to Spanish Lookout and Xunantunich. I’ll cover those separately.

Friday’s Featured Food: WDs Ice Cream, Spanish Lookout, Belize
I really didn’t expect to be featuring a load of cool Belizean treats cuisine wise on my Friday’s Featured Food section, but then again if you’ve followed my journeys, you’ll remember I once worked as an ice cream seller in Bournemouth. Even before that I was always a fan of ice cream, and while Tequila Ice Cream in Mexico and Facebook Ice Cream in Armenia went down a treat, Belize whipped up a super special ice cream. We headed to remote countryside to try it and ended up in a village, or rather a collection of farms that form a large area known as “Spanish Lookout”. The most peculiar thong about the village of Spanish Lookout is that it’s not really a village, it’s not really Spanish and while it has views, it’s also not really a lookout!

Backpacking in Belize: Cave Tour of Actun Tunichil Muknal
When you hear about backpackers heading to Belize you think about beaches, sun and snorkelling. And yes all that stuff is cool and it really happens. I did it all too! But it was my plan in Belize to witness a load of other impressive things in the country not just for myself but also to show other travellers to Belize how diverse a country this is. For me, this included a few days in Belmopan, the capital, as well as Xunantunich, Placencia and a trip to Actun Tunichil Muknal. Thanks to my friend and DSL follower Ray for some extra cool tip offs for Belize (and a few photos which I’ll explain later), not all of which I found time for, but Actun Tunichil Muknal I did. What is Actun Tunichil Muknal? It’s an archaelogical reserve in deep Belizean countryside. As well as a nature trail, forests and rivers ATM (not a cash point) is most famous for its incredible caves, which was the pull for me. I had been to a fair few caves before (like Jenolan Caves in Australia , the Tiger Caves in Israel and Batu Caves in Malaysia) but this was a full on swimming experience in the caves! We were going to be swimming in the caves!

Leaving Wildtracks...thoughts on leaving from Molly
For many people, leaving Wildtracks at the end of their stay is filled with emotions. Having to leave the animals you've cared for and the friends you've made after immersing yourself in the Wildtracks lifestyle, even for a month, is extremely hard for many. I have been lucky enough to avoid leaving and saying goodbye to everything twice by extending my placement. Now on my third attempt at a departure date I'm finally sitting at the Belize airport. Leaving doesn't seem real at all. Even though I've gone through security and checked my bags, in my mind I am still going to be falling asleep at the Wildtracks supper table tonight. I have been lucky enough to stay and volunteer at Wildtracks for over eight months now and I can 100% say I am not the same person the walked on this tarmac in January. Volunteering at Wildtracks is the chance of a lifetime, I know of nowhere else where I could get the kind of experiences I have had here. During my eight months here I have had the opportunity to work with the pre-release howler monkeys and see four of them released into the wild, I was able to see new cages built (including most of the new Spider Monkey Complex) and old ones torn down, I saw 17 new monkeys rescued as well as 2 manatee calves - and best of all, I was able to watch as those 19 new animals improved, becoming stabilized, healthy animals that are now being prepared for their release into the wild.

International Sources

Belize consulate seeks to identify Belizean-born attorneys, dentists and physicians in Diaspora
The consulate of Belize in Los Angeles has sent out an alert asking members of the Belizean Diaspora to assist in identifying Belizean-born medical doctors, dentists and practicing attorneys. It is the intent to present certificates of appreciation to the professionals when the Belizean community in Los Angeles gathers to celebrate the victory at the 216th anniversary of the Battle of St George’s Caye and the 33rd anniversary of Belize’s independence on Friday in Los Angeles. “Identifying physicians, dentists and attorneys will enable the consulate to bring another segment of its population into the Belize Diaspora Registry,” commented consul general Roland Yorke, emphasizing that those being honoured can reside anywhere in the United States.

Belize Consulate to Honor Belizean-Born Medical and Legal Professionals in Los Angeles
The consulate of Belize in Los Angeles has sent out an alert asking members of the Belizean Diaspora to assist in identifying Belizean-born medical doctors, dentists and practicing attorneys. It is the intent to present certificates of appreciation to the professionals when the Belizean community in Los Angeles gathers to celebrate the victory at the 216th anniversary of the Battle of St George’s Caye and the 33rd anniversary of Belize’s independence Friday in Los Angeles. “Identifying physicians, dentists and attorneys will enable the consulate to bring another segment of its population into the Belize Diaspora Registry,” commented consul general Roland Yorke, emphasizing that those being honored can reside anywhere in the United States. Even though the consulate would appreciate their presence, they can designate someone to accept their certificate of recognition.

Desert-Dwelling Entomologists Visit the Rainforest in Belize
The chance to explore the vast biodiversity of a tropical rainforest is a rare opportunity for New Mexico State University students in the desert Southwest. This spring, the much anticipated Tropical Insect Ecology course, taught by Professor Scott Bundy, became available for a select group of students. A 10-day trip to the beautiful country of Belize can be an enriching opportunity for anyone, but for a group of like-minded students bent on scoping out arthropods in various tropical habitats, the excursion was also like experiencing an endless menagerie of the six-to-eight-legged variety. Southern New Mexico has an array of insects and arthropods — especially those adapted to extreme heat and little water — but Belize’s biodiversity of insects was astounding. Not only were the numbers of insects and arthropods bountiful, many were massive! On our first night in the Cayo district, we set up light traps and were quickly bombarded by all manner of flying insects, small and large. Alien-looking praying mantises and scarab beetles were a welcome sight. Hundreds of moving, glittering flecks of light in the grass were actually the predatory eyes of wolf spiders and their kin that prowled along the forest floor. We soon realized we were in the very midst of their domain. Our legs were pockmarked with mosquito bites, but after that first night we were filled with excited anticipation of what the next day might bring. There was still so much to be seen!

Belize’s Hamanasi Adventure and Dive Resort Wins CTO/TravelMole Award For Sustainable Accommodation
The award is presented to “a destination or tourism-related company in recognition of excellence in planning and managing a diversified tourism product using sustainable tourism concepts and core values,” according to the CTO. The award is presented jointly by the Caribbean Tourism Organization and TravelMole, the United Kingdom’s leading travel and tourism industry community. “We started these awards to give our partners endorsements they can share with potential visitors so they can garner more business,” said Gail Henry, the CTO’s sustainable tourism product specialist. ” there are persons keen on keeping their carbon footprint at a minimum during travel and through our award designations these properties and attractions can be easily identified.”

We Can Save the Caribbean’s Coral Reefs
PARROTFISH eat algae and seaweed. These brightly colored fish with beaklike mouths inhabit coral reefs, the wellsprings of ocean life. Without them and other herbivores, algae and seaweed would overgrow the reefs, suppress coral growth and threaten the incredible array of life that depends on these reefs for shelter and food. This was happening in Bermuda, until the government in 1990 banned fish traps that were decimating the parrotfish population. Today, Bermuda’s coral reefs are relatively healthy, a bright spot in the wider Caribbean, where total coral cover has declined by half since 1970. Last month, in a reminder of just how dire the situation facing the world’s coral reefs is, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it was listing 20 species of coral as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, including all of what were once the most abundant Caribbean corals. The action focused primarily on the projected impacts of global warming and ocean acidification. Carbon dioxide emissions are increasing ocean temperatures and making them more acidic — and less hospitable for corals.

World Land Trust ups the ante to protect big cats
As part of its ongoing work to protect big cats, World Land Trust (WLT) is urgently raising money to protect large areas of habitat for species such as tiger, puma, and jaguar. WLT’s Big Cat Big Match will take place during the first two weeks of October. During this time, any donations made to the charity’s Big Cat Appeal will be matched pound for pound. So far £250,000 has already been pledged for the match funding pot. Funds that will be raised during the Big Cat Big Match will be used to enable WLT’s worldwide partners to extend existing reserves, and create important new wildlife corridors to connect fragmented protected areas. The funds will also support WLT’s Keepers of the Wild Programme, which supports the employment of wildlife rangers in the reserves. WLT Chief Executive John Burton commented: “After 25 years of conservation success in countries as diverse as Belize, Paraguay and India, we know that WLT’s model of land purchase and protection is making it possible for big cats to survive in the wild in Latin America and Asia. We aim to raise £500,000 during Big Cat Big Match so that we can continue to support big cat conservation in countries where we already have programmes and in other parts of the world such as Iran and Vietnam, where we are developing exciting new partnerships.”

The Queen’s Young Leaders Programme
The Queen’s Young Leaders Programme is searching for inspirational young people across the Commonwealth who are making a difference in their communities.Exceptional people aged 18-29 will receive awards for leading the way where they live, in honour of Her Majesty The Queen’s 60-year contribution to the Commonwealth.

Videos

Video: Maya Island Air Tour of the Belize City Bay, 1min.
Video taken on board Maya Island Air of the Belize City Bay Tour experience. Contact us at 501-223-1140 or email [email protected] and book your tour today!

Video: Snorkeling Belize, 1min.
Hol Chan Reserve and Shark Alley.

Video: CCCCC's Joseph McGann on 5C's investments in adaptaton to Climate Change Belize, 2min.

Video: Belize, Where's the Beach? Sept 2014, 21min.
I am not the normal tourist, I spend all my time with the locals doing what the locals do. I see stuff most don't, many times the locals don't get out to see and there is a reason.

Video: Who Da Belize?, 5min.
Belizeans come in all shapes and sizes...

Video: Belize second half, 14min.
My first diving with a sea turtle! Turtle @ 11:30.

Video: Belize 2014, min.
San Benito Poite and San Jose, Vacation Bible School ~ July 2014.

September 18, 2014

FOR TODAY'S BELIZE WEATHER, CLICK HERE

Click for our Daily Tropical Weather Report.

Specials and Events

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

The San Pedro Sun

La Isla Bonita Telenovela – something different from Belize!
Three girls gussied up and watched a novela together. Here’s our candid conversation about it. Mary: So us three girls got to dress up and go to a fancy party. I honestly was dreading it because I guess after my experience with Curse of the Xtabai (directed by the same guy who directed the telenovela), I wasn’t sure what to expect. What were you expecting? Monique: I love soap operas and novelas, even though I don’t really understand Spanish the plots always seem so dramatic, and definitely entertaining to watch. I was actually pretty excited to see La Isla Bonita, I love the idea that it was genuinely a community effort featuring familiar faces, and also that it would be in ‘Spanglish’, which was definitely a bonus for me. Janelle: Well to be honest I was just plain eager to see what all the talk was about. The first trailer looked good so I got excited and was excited for it to premier but then the second trailer came out and I was like “eh”. So I went to the premiere with neutral expectations. I think at the beginning I was more excited about dressing up than the actual telenovela.

Kent Gabourel tops weekend cycling race
San Pedro star athlete, Kent “Bob” Gabourel took first place at the 2014 Belize City Council and Leslie’s Imports September Criterium that took place in Belize City on Sunday, September 14th. The race was organized in collaboration with the Cycling Federation of Belize and saw the participation of cyclists of all ages from across the country competing to win amazing prizes. The race was divided into five categories, Female, Junior, Master, Master 4/5 and Elite. Gabourel participated in the Master 4/5 category taking the top prize. Preston Martinez took second place while Wilbert Jones settled for third; both cyclist are from Belize City. The race also saw several young cyclists under the age of 16 participating. According to event organizers, the race was aimed to encourage youth involvement in sports while promoting a competitive behavior.

GOB makes a quiet move to subdivide part of proposed reserve

Ambergris Today

Celebrity Spotting: Mexican Actor Luis Gerardo Mendez in San Pedro
Word got around that Mexican theater and movie actor Luis Gerardo Mendez was vacationing in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize, after he posted a picture on his Instagram account of him riding a bicycle on the basketball court at the Boca del Rio Park. It was last week Sunday, September, 14, that Luis posted his first Instagram picture hinting that he was ready to go scuba diving. But it was until Tuesday, September 16, that he posted a picture of himself riding a bicycle at the Boca del Rio Park basketball court with the caption “La major cancha del mundo” (the best court in the world) with the hashtags #Belice and #San Pedro that his followers knew he was in Belize. Today he posted a picture of nurse sharks at Hol Chan Marine Reserve’s Shark Ray Alley hinting that he is still on vacationing on Ambergris Caye. Luis’ latest movie role is that of Estanislao Shilinsky in the romantic biopic Cantinflas that premiers in Mexico this week. The movie pays homage to one of Mexico’s most beloved and legendary comedians and actors – Mario Moreno. The movie is loaded with well-known actors which includes telenovela superstars like Barbara Mori and Ana Layevska, American actor and Sopranos start Michael Imperioli and Oscar Jaenada (from Pirates of the Caribbean) who plays the titular role of Cantinflas.

Misc Belizean Sources

La Diosa Maya Presentation
The presentation of La Diosa Maya candidates was last weekend at the Cayo Welcome Center. Most every day this week there's something happening at the Cayo Welcome Center for the September Celebrations.. "The official presentation of the Finalist for ,'LA DIOSA MAYA BELICE' was a success thank the the gorgeous ladies that did a superb job. Special thanks to Mara Manzanero ( maras beauty salon) Damon Russell (photographer) Irwin Puc ( camara) and to the mayor of San Ignacio and Santa Elena and to everyone that assisted in making this event a one of a kind at Cayo welcome center."

BAY Concert at GPC
The Belmopan Active Youths are having a concert at the George Price Centre today.

Pre-Independence Cookout
The Guava Limb Cafe is celebrating the weekend right by having a cookout on Saturday. They'll have the BBQ grill going, and everything is 10% off before 5pm. "The Guava Limb Café family extends to you a cordial invitation to join us for a PRE-INDEPENDENCE COOKOUT!! **Our Patrons enjoy a 10% Patrotic Discount from 11am-5pm

Channel 7

Arthur Saldivar Removed As PUP Standard Bearer
The executive members of the PUP there are about 25 of them headed by party leader Francis Fonseca arrived at the PUP headquarter in time for the 2:00 pm meeting. Saldivar was called in at five minutes to four but directed into an ante-room to wait. Ten minutes later he was called up into Independence Hall and three minutes later he was back down, cool and collected If you missed it He said "I will be running in Belize Rural North" OSWIN BLEASE filled us in Oswin Blease, Belize Rural Public Relation "The chairman whispered to me that she was told that Arthur Salvidar's candidacy should be removed with immediate effect." Jules Vasquez "Sir is this an injustice for you all in Belize Rural North?" Oswin Blease "This is indeed an injustice for all of us in Belize Rural North. For one, Arthur Saldivar was not endured; Arthur Saldivar contested a convention where he won over 2 other candidates."

Saldivar Says He Will Run Independent
So that's the party's decision, and the immediate fallout. But what does the candidate, or former candidate have to say? Well, Arthur Saldivar called Jules Vasquez to the Radisson at 5:15 this evening where he explained what they told him when he went up to Independence Hall: Arthur Saldivar, Removed as PUP BRN Std. Bearer "My first reaction to it was simply to rise and leave. If that is the decision then the party has abandoned me. From my understanding of things, the report of the committee was not contemplated, it was not even considered. Because in retrospect, in actuality, the report did not yield anything, there is nothing there. The allegation were baseless and certainly once it was examined by those who was charged with responsibility, they recognised it was not a situation that would have warranted the outcome that came about today. So I'm as shocked as anybody else, but again, my constitution being what it is, it doesn't really phase me." Jules Vasquez "What's next for you?" Arthur Saldivar "Well, I am the standard bearer, I was elected by the people of the Belize Rural North. They came out, they gave me their vote of confidence to represent them and that vote of confidence is in respective to what ever political banner that may hang over my head at the particular day. I will be the member of a party, come election day and I will run for rural north. Now weather it is the PUP, that is up to the present leadership or what ever leadership takes over after the national convention. That national convention is going to be very interesting because our constitution requires that there must be one and all position are open for contesting at that time."

"BT" Targeted, His Father Killed
There was a murder in Belize City this afternoon. It happened at 2:00 pm, right beside St. Ignatius Primary School at the corner of Dean Street and Euphrates Avenue. Fifty six year old Cyril McFoy Robinson was shot to the head and succumbed to his injuries shortly after while 45 year old Sean Cherrington was shot to the leg and is receiving treatment at the KHMH. The men were playing a game of dominoes inside the yard of Robinson when a gunman pulled up and opened fire on them. Neighbors say they heard as many as 8 shots ring out. Witness #1 "We were playing dominoes, 4 of us. The man that died son was also around us. The man then come in the yard and start to fire shots and we started to run through the downstairs of the house. Cyril, who was sitting down, the guy just turn around and shot him in his head." Witness #2 "We play dominoes everyday. We come here just to play dominoes with each other. No trouble man, we just have a little business, a saloon here and all we do is play dominoes everyday."

Cop Killed In Southern Traffic Accident
Tonight, the Police Department notes the passing of one of their own after 29 year-old Constable Marvin Sedacy from the Punta Gorda Station died in a major traffic accident this morning. It happened at around 7:45, between miles 3 and 4 on the Southern Highway, just outside of Forest Home Village. It is unclear at this time how the accident happened, but as you can see from these photographs, Sedacy, who was driving the brown Ford Escort, ended up in the lane of this Freight Truck, and they had a head-on collision. Sedacy, who was the only one in the car, died due to the extensive damages he suffered from the impact which crushed and compressed the front end of the Ford Escort. Sedacy, who is a resident of Cattle Landing, which is just outside of Punta Gorda Town, reportedly left from a wake shortly before he ended up in this fatal traffic accident.

Mayor Says He's Current With BML
There's no forgetting the messy protest by 50 BML workers last month in front of City Hall. A truce was brokered when Government undertook to pay the huge arrears to the sanitation company on the understanding that City Hall would keep current with its debt. Well, 6 weeks later, BML is complaining that it has still not received payment after the early August agreement but Mayor Darrell Bradley disputes that report. Darrel Bradley, Mayor of Belize City Council "That is not the case. I have been meeting with BML's attorney who is Mr. Shebat and we entered an into an agreement with them in terms of how we are going to deal with the arrears situation. They took into account that they are being given 35,000 dollars per week, by the central government. On top of that the city council had agree to pay them 10,000 dollars at a minimum so that we don't go further into arrears with them. We also have them two 50,000 dollars payments to settle some of the bill.

Re-Examining Flowers Allegations
Last night, we told you about the allegation of abuse against the controversial commander of the Gang Suppression Unit, Inspector Mark Flowers. As we reported, 2 young women are accusing him of roughing them up as well as a group of children while under the influence of alcohol on Sunday night. Flowers categorically denies it, but these women swear that it happened, and have gone as far as to report him to the Police internal affairs. Last night, we spoke to them about the incident a few minutes before news time, and we were forced to air their comments mostly unedited. Tonight, we revisit that story to highlight the most important parts of the allegation. Daniel Ortiz has that story: The cellphone footage captures Inspector Mark Flowers standing in front of a vehicle, and he's signaling a vehicle to pass by. It's Wilson Street, and the position of his pickup tells us he has driven up-stop, against the flow of traffic. Victim #1 "We were greeting Britney for her birthday and I notice that a car was following them from I was coming up the street, but I wasn't paying it any mind and the car came down one way follow behind them and it stopped."

Laura Esquivel Back In UDP Good Books?
In March, former BTB Director Laura Esquivel Frampton was unceremoniously ousted from the most senior post at the Tourism Board when 7 managers orchestrated a palace coup and wrote the minister a letter of no-confidence. The fallout for the UDP was enormous; Laura is the eldest daughter of two term UDP Prime Minister Sir Manuel Esquivel and both he and his wife Lady Kathy resigned immediately from all Government posts and appointments. But now, it seems the party is offering Esquivel Frampton an olive branch. 7News has confirmed that she is being offered a senior diplomatic posting at the Belize High Commission in London. The timeline has not been confirmed but Esquivel Frampton told us she will take the offer and re-settle her family in the UK.

Abruptly Terminated GM Sues SSB
In June of this year, we told you about the Former General Manager of the Belmopan Branch of the Social Security Board, Anna Gonzalez, who was dismissed reportedly after a dispute with the CEO Richard Flowers. Well, Gonzalez has recently filed a lawsuit for unlawful dismissal. As we reported, Gonzalez was a staff member with 30 years at the institution, and our sources told us that she basically driven out of the institution's Belmopan Headquarters, where she had been the General Manager before her termination. We were told that she opposed to certain features of the ongoing Stategic Business Transformation Project. In her statement of claim, Gonzalez explains that on June 2 Flowers held a meeting with her and orally notified that she had been terminated. The reasons given to her in writing is quote, "a lack of leadership skills required for the Transformation Plan". End Quote.

Upgrading The Dump
Six years ago, 7News visited the Belize City dump and exposed an incredible underside to city life human scavengers living off the garbage of city residents. Fast-forward six years, and the place has been transformed, and fortunately so have the people. They're no longer scavengers, they're re-cyclers. And today we visited when they got Occupational Safety and Health and Basic First Aid Training. Courtney Weatherburne went into the archives to compare the old and the new at the dump: We are quite familiar with the mainstream commercial world in Belize City; the concrete jungle as it is called - the highly traversed and trafficked streets, the buzz and scramble for parking spaces school kids go home and the rush to simply to get home. Well there is another world that occupies the periphery of society, another type of jungle, where there is also a scramble but of a different nature… and that's the dump site.

Not At Biltmore...
Tonight, We have a correction to make on a story we aired in our last newscast. It concerns the incident with Gloria Nunez and a teenager, in which Nunez ended up being convicted of harm. Nunez was working at the hotel but only as a trainee under The Youth Apprenticeship Program. We must clarify that the incident she was charged for did not occur at the Biltmore but on Mahogany Street. The incident also occurred prior to her joining the Biltmore.

GSU Gets Gun
22 year-old Gildon Flowers, a resident of Antelope Street Extension, is in jail tonight after he was allegedly busted with a weapon by the Gang Suppression Unit. According to the GSU, several officers went to search his house on Monday for weapons or drugs. They say that when they arrived, Rivers opened the door and tried to dispose of a weapon that he had on him. They saw where it landed, and when they retrieved it, they discovered that the gun was a .380 pistol. He was charged with one count of keeping an unlicensed firearm, and he was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith today. Due to the nature of the offence, he was ineligible for bail, and was remanded to prison to prion until November 6.

GSU Gets Weed
That gun seizure wasn't the only successful operation that the Gang Suppression Unit made this week. On Monday, officers from the Unit went to the Belize Central Prison where prison officers handed over 2 bags of weed. The first bag contained 1 pound, while the other had 15.5 ounces. The Prison reported to the GSU that these drugs were confiscated during searches at the prison which happened between October 2013 and September 2014. The GSU handed over the marijuana to Eastern Division where it be destroyed. Also, officers of the GSU searched a bushy lot on Gill street yesterday morning at around 10. They ended up finding 1.012 kilos or 2.23 pounds of cannabis, which was found in to separate black plastic bags, which were hidden inside a green water cooler. Nobody was around, and so, the drugs were deposited as found property.

Landmark Sign In City
If you travel, or watch enough TV, you'll surely have noticed the impressive landmark signs in developed countries. Well, now you can see one of those signs right in Belize at the Seashore Children's Park. It is not quite as gigantic as say, the Hollywood sign in California, but it will serve the same purpose: to enhance the aesthetics of the area and to attract locals and tourists. Mayor Darrell Bradley discussed the impact of this project on the community. Darrel Bradley, Mayor of Belize City Council "One of the difficulties with this, is this all came about as a result of us discovering they were going to privatise this area. Residents had brought it to our attention, and through co-operating with myself, city council and residents in this community, we manage to make representations to the land department. We had very active community individuals, Steven Pererra who led the way in terms of making that representation so they had agreed to leave this area as a public space. And we recognise with partnership with the community groups, that if we wanted to be left as community space, then we had to enhance it.

Arthur Saldivar, The Broader Discussion
As you saw in our top segment, Arthur Saldivar has been, in his words, "abandoned by his party." But, that's not the end of it actually, it's quite far from anything near the end, we'd say. In an interview an hour after the decision came down Saldivar told us that, 1.) he will run as an independent, 2.) he may challenge the executive of the PUP at a convention and 3.) he may even take the PUP to court. Now, all or none of these may happen, but it all pivots on how much popular support Sadivar the politician can attract, because he no longer has the cover of a mass party. Today he told us his party is heading to tyranny:… Arthur Saldivar, Removed as PUP BRN Std. Bearer "There is a spirit of arbitrariness taken place and it can only lead to tyranny. So we our democratic processes to be given full effect. It cannot be that we have a tyranny in the PUP."

Alleged Arsonist To Court
Tonight, 39 Year-old Alden Sutherland, is out on bail tonight after he was taken to court for allegedly setting a vehicle on fire. Hector Choj, reported to police that on last week Saturday, at around 8:30 a.m., he parked his 60 thousand dollar Toyota Tacoma in front of his apartment on Youth for the Future Drive, and left after he properly secured. He says that at around 2 the following morning, he was informed by security guard who told him that someone set his vehicle on fire. That security guard led police to the man who lit the fire, and 3 days later Sutherland was charged with arson. He was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith today, and because it's an indictable offence, no plea was taken. The police prosecutor objected, but after consideration, Chief Magistrate Smith granted him bail of $3,000 and adjourned the case until November 5, 2014.

Channel 5

Arthur Saldivar Removed As P.U.P. Belize Rural North Standard Bearer
At ten minutes past four this evening, the political career of Arthur Saldivar, at least as a Standard Bearer of the People’s United Party, came to an end. Following a [...]

A House Divided: Angry Supporters Stand Outside Independence Hall
P.U.P. Leader Francis Fonseca told the media that any opposition to the decision in the ranks of the Belize Rural North Executive is merely speculation. But it’s actually much more [...]

Is Godfrey Smith to Blame for Arthur’s Removal?
Blease insists that in meetings with the four member investigating committee, the Executive was told that there was no evidence against Arthur Saldivar. The Belize Rural North Executive claims that [...]

Arthur Saldivar Says There’s Much To be Desired of Francis Fonseca’s Leadership
Following the decision of the P.U.P. to remove him, Arthur Saldivar spoke briefly to the media at the Radisson Fort George. He says that it’s not about the P.U.P., but [...]

Cyril McFoy Murdered While Playing Dominoes At Home
Just before two o’clock this afternoon, as many as six gunshots rang old in the area of the Saint Ignatius Primary School located near the Raccoon Police Station as well [...]

Sedi Elrington Speaks On Bahamians’ Extradition Request
Bahamian nationals Rohn Knowles and Kelvin Leach remain on lockdown at the Belize Central Prison awaiting extradition proceedings. The US government made a formal request on Monday to have the [...]

Belize On Drug Transit List, Sedi Responds
While Elrington spoke candidly on the case against the principals of Titan International Securities in his capacity as Attorney General, he was unaware of Belize’s designation as one of several [...]

Road Traffic Accident in the South Claims Life of Police Constable
Twenty-nine-year-old police constable Marvin Sedassey was killed this morning in a fatal road traffic accident in the Toledo District.  Sedassey’s extensively damaged Ford Escort slammed violently into a freight truck [...]

Is Pier One a Restaurant or a Bar? Mayor Bradley Offers His Definition
Mayor Darrell Bradley has been lauded for the renovation and reformation of the B.T.L. Park, but criticized in some quarters for the Pier 1 Bar, a privately owned business on [...]

Mayor Bradley on Servicing CitCo’s BML Debt
We also asked the Mayor for an update on the debt situation with Belize Maintenance Limited. When last we checked, the Council had been unable to make a lump sum [...]

What’s the Fate of BML Employees Post 2014?
Of course, we also asked about the one hundred and seventy employees of BML, soon to be brand new employees of the Belize City Council. Or are they? It’s no [...]

O.A.S. Releases Anti-Corruption Report on Belize
The Organization of American States Anti-Corruption Mechanism has released a fifty-five page report on Belize. It follows the visit of the Committee of Experts for the Implementation of the Inter-American [...]

Chamber of Commerce Awards Expo 2014 Participants
The Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry recorded what it says is its most successful Expo Belize Marketplace this year. With over two hundred booths—one hundred and fifteen of them [...]

Ryan Jones Appears in Court for Patricide Hearing
  After spending months behind bars, Ranchito resident Ryan Jones appeared this morning in the Magistrate Court to answer to a charge of murder.  Ryan is accused with the shooting [...]

Alden Sutherland Charged with Arson
After three days in lockdown, a construction worker was arraigned for arson before the Chief Magistrate, Ann Marie Smith, this morning. Thirty-nine year old Alden Sutherland is accused of setting [...]

Mayor Bradley On Street Improvements
Mayor Darrell Bradley has a lot on his mind, with critical decisions to be made where sanitation contracts are concerned. But he’s always to find a bright spot where infrastructure [...]

Solid Waste Management Hosts Safety Training for Garbage Recyclers
The Belize Solid Waste Management Authority has been instrumental in the implementation of transfer stations and the management of garbage at the dumpsite at miles three on the George Price [...]

New Signage for Seashore Children’s Park
Last year, controversy arose over a park in Buttonwood Bay where an abandoned portion of it was in the process of being privatized. Residents in the area, who would frequent [...]

CTV3

Mark Vega Back In The Supreme Court
Yesterday at the northern session of the Supreme Court, high profiled inmates were brought to court for their proceedings. Viewers may recall the highly sensationalized case against inmate Mark Vega who was accused in 2002 along with two others of holding up at gun point Enrique Petkau and his wife Susana Petkau while they were travelling on the August Pine Ridge Road.Enrique and Susana were shot and left for dead; the men then escaped in their victim’s van. Enrique survived the ordeal but his wife Susana unfortunately succumbed to her injuries. The men are alleged to have then continued their crime spree in Corozal Town that same day when they kidnapped Jacob Rancheran and a female friend. While Jacob Rancheran managed to escape, the woman was brutally gang raped and later released from her captors that same night. The accused men also robbed Jasmine Restaurant in Orange Walk Town at gunpoint.

ASR Looking To Launch Eight Measures To Improve Sugar Industry
Previously we told you about the work being done to improve the growth and sustainability of the sugar industry and its stakeholders. Earlier this year, we aired the first Post-Crop Conference held by BSI/ASR. That event saw the participation of over 350 persons including cane farmers, business men and women and government representatives. Among the many topics discussed included increased efficiency and the reduction of the cost of production. For this to happen, BSI/SR has presented an action plan to overcome the challenges leading up to 2017 and beyond that consists of eight measures the company feels must be implemented. International Advisor for the ASR Group, Mac McLachlan gave us an update of that effort in a recent interview. Mac McLachlan, International Advisor ASR Group “We are in the process of formulating this eight point plan which looks at how range the different bottlenecks for industry growth some have to do with the mill, some have to do with the farmers, some have to do with the investment climate, some have to do with the regulatory environment in which the sugar industry operates, we are in contact with the government and we are in contact with the PUP about that plan and we hope that in the near future that we be able to launch that as a contribution to the discussion of where we need to go in the future.”

Belize's Sugar Lower Than Other Producing Countries
But while there is talk of improving the industry, one very big challenge lies in increasing and improving the productivity of sugar levels. In comparison to the sugar producing countries in Central America and Mexico, Belize is strides behind. Using a chart, International Advisor Mac McLachlan elaborated on this. Mac McLachlan, International Advisor ASR Group “That the average yield of sugar cane in Belize is pretty much half of what it is in other Central American countries and that is one of the reasons why the cost of producing sugar is so high here and it makes it less competitive in the European and further more in the global market and the other telling point about this craft is that saying in the last two crops 2012/2013/2014 where a number of other countries have manage to improve the yield on their crop, all yields here in Belize have been left static, now what we need to do by 2017 is to have at least improving those yields to get up to be able to compete with other industries, this is just a snap shot of Central America and Mexico but we need those productivity level to rise now that takes investment for farmers it takes a consolidated effort by all the industry stakeholders to achieve that but that in essence shows the challenge that we are confronted with.”

Forestry Department Discusses Protected Areas
The protected areas management was the topic of discussion this morning at a meeting held by the forestry department. In 2005 the department developed the protected Areas Policy ad system plan. Based on this plan, they established the protected areas secretariat, a body to oversee the implementation of the policy and system plan. Today representatives of the secretariat were in Orange Walk and gave an overview of the progress of the implementation of the plan. Officer in charge of the Orange Walk Forest Station Hannah Martinez elaborates. Hannah Martinez- Forestry Department “One of the initiatives right now of the secretariat is that they have two projects that are online and one is called the SNC project; Strengthening National Protected Areas capacity for the management for protected areas and the second is the KBA project which is the Key Biodiversity Areas project which is a project geared at strengthening protected areas that have strong treats to keep biodiversity for the country of Belize. It’s going very well and as I told you it was developed in 2005 so we are couple years into the implementation of the plan and some of the good initiatives of this plan is the review of the legislation governing protected areas, you also have the consolidation of protected areas in Belize that is being undertaken under this plan, the plan also call for a more comprehensive protected area system, it also calls for developing partnership with our stakeholders for the management of our protected areas as well, the project as it stands for example the KBA project is in its initial stages and it has just commence and really and truly it will become fully in implementation in 2015 and it is a 6.28 million dollar project to be spread out through the entire country.”

Will Streets In O/W Be Ready For Parade
You may have noticed that the Town Council is currently repairing the intersection that connects Progress Street and Cinderella Street and the buzz around town is the worry that it may not be ready for the Independence Day parade on Sunday. We posed that question to the Mayor to which he responded that they are looking to complete the works come Sunday.Kevin Bernard – Mayor, OWTC“We were trying to ensure that we could secure the cement for them to complete the casting of that section of Progress and Cinderella, we are hoping that we can get those in by tomorrow, we would wanted to have come in by this evening but if we are to get it we definitely will be able to complete the works so that we could have but as you know in cementing there are all kinds of methods such as acceleration and all these things so that it becomes firm and so we are hoping that yes we will be able to meet our deadline but remember as well we also have a children’s parade on Friday, I believe though that that one we may not be able to accomplish by Friday so the children’s route from what I gather may need to be altered a bit and so instead of going up Cinderella should probably take up St. Peter’s Street and then continue down Progress Street but a part from that we should be able to able to secure those cement if we don’t then we will have to make a slight adjustment instead of coming up Cinderella we may need to continue up Fonseca and hit San Andres and then come up on Munoz land and then hit down the main highway straight down from the police station, w hoping that we don’t have to go that way but we will put all our efforts trying to ensure that we can put down the cement structure there by tomorrow so that they give it at least two days to heal and then have traffic pass on that area.”

Three Vehicles Stolen From MOH Since July
Following much scrutiny about the deaths of 13 infants at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in May of 2013, the paediatric intensive care unit has since seen been retrofitted. While the circumstances surrounding this move cannot change the perception of the public opinion or provide consolation to parents who lost their babies, yesterday in Belize City the re-opening of the neo-natal care unit signalled a new leaf for the highly scrutinized public care facility. And while the new unit seeks to provide quality care for neonates and 800 thousand dollars was invested to revamp the unit, the interest of the media was shifted to the Ministry of Health administration after they had found out that another of the Ministry’s designated and newly acquired Toyota Hilux was stolen from off their compound. This incident brings the total of stolen vehicles from the Ministry to 3 since July of this year. And while it raised eye brows and the incidents shrouded in mystery, our colleagues at 7news held back no punches when they interviewed the Minister of Health Pablo Marin about the incidents. Here is that exchange.

O/W Police Make Arrest On Robbery Case
Following much scrutiny about the deaths of 13 infants at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in May of 2013, the paediatric intensive care unit has since seen been retrofitted. While the circumstances surrounding this move cannot change the perception of the public opinion or provide consolation to parents who lost their babies, yesterday in Belize City the re-opening of the neo-natal care unit signalled a new leaf for the highly scrutinized public care facility. And while the new unit seeks to provide quality care for neonates and 800 thousand dollars was invested to revamp the unit, the interest of the media was shifted to the Ministry of Health administration after they had found out that another of the Ministry’s designated and newly acquired Toyota Hilux was stolen from off their compound. This incident brings the total of stolen vehicles from the Ministry to 3 since July of this year. And while it raised eye brows and the incidents shrouded in mystery, our colleagues at 7news held back no punches when they interviewed the Minister of Health Pablo Marin about the incidents. Here is that exchange.

Magistrate Orders That Disclosure Be Provided In Rayan Jones' Case Or Else....
Today in the Corozal Magistrate Court, Rayan Jones made another appearance for charges brought up against him for allegedly killing his father, 53 year old Nick Jones, on January 2nd 2014.Jones was represented by Attorney Michael Peyrefitte who stood before Magistrate Hurl Hamilton and requested that a disclosure in Jones’ case be issued by the prosecution or charges be withdrawn. Peyrefitte based his request on the fact that Jones has already spent over nine months in prison and there haven’t been any signs of Corozal Police putting together all evidence and statements against him.

LOVE FM

Cyril McFoy Robinson Fatal Shot When Playing Dominoes
A brazen shooting incident left a man dead this afternoon in Belize City. 56 year old Cyril McFoy Robinson, was shot to the head while he was socializing on Euphrates Avenue. The murder occurred minutes before two o’clock, a short time before the students of Saint Ignatius Primary School were to be released. Reporter Hipolito Novelo has the story. HIPOLITO NOVELO “A group of family members and friends were in a yard on Euphrates Avenue playing dominos when about 2 o’clock in the afternoon a single gunman lurked up on the unsuspecting group and started blasting several shots at their direction.” RAPHAEL MARTINEZ “Just a few minutes to 2 o’clock this afternoon we received some information of a shooting incident that occurred on the corner of Dean Street and Euphrates Avenue. Sadly we had a fatality in which 56 year old Cyril Mcfoy Robinson was fatally injured.”

Saldivar: An Independent PUP?
With Arthur Saldivar out the race and with the party’s expressed satisfaction in the outcome of their investigation, we are now left to ask the question, what is an “Independent PUP”. WE posed the question to the PR Representative for the Belize Rural North, Oswin Blease. OSWIN BLEASE “I am a PUP, I believe in the policies of the People’s United Party and I am disappointed with the actions that were taken today but at the end of the day I am still a PUP and if we have to run independent then we will be Independent PUPs.” We do concede that the idea of an independent PUP may be an impromptu response considering the blow rendered to the Belize Rural North residents and party supporters but be that as it may, the PUP Chairman, Henry Usher, says that Saldivar should consider the full impact of his decision to run in the next general elections.

Belize Rural North PUP Committee Stands Behind Saldivar
So, now that Arthur Saldivar is out of the race, at least under the umbrella of the People’s United Party, the Executive Committee for the Belize Rural North have made it clear that their loyalty is for the man and not for the party. Oswin Blease is the Public Relations Representative for the PUP Committee in Belize Rural North division. OSWIN BLEASE “It is a sad day for the PUPs in Belize Rural North to hear the result that was handed down from our Party Executive just a while ago. This is indeed an injustice for all of us in Belize Rural North. For one, Arthur Saldivar was not endorsed; Arthur Saldivar contested in a convention where he won over two other candidates. When the committee met with us we were informed by the committee of four that there was no information on Arthur Saldivar; that there was no information whatsoever; that the allegations against him were mere rumors and they were about to put facts to it. So that is surprising for us right now to hear that a position like that is taken by our National Executive. I was born inside the People’s United Party, from birth I am a PUP, I will always be a PUP but you have a thing called Independent PUPs. Let me tell you this, this is something that will be happening, I believe that Arthur Saldivar will run in Belize Rural North because the Executive is standing behind him unanimously, the Executive is very strong and we are battle ready and many of us will be going into other divisions and contesting the divisions as PUP supporters.”

Murder Suspect Remains On Remand
A suspect remains in prison while charges are yet to be levied in connection with the recent murder of a Toledo woman. Paul Mahung reports. PAUL MAHUNG “Since the murder incident in San Pedro Columbia village on August 30 and capture of a suspect on September 4th concern remains alive of the suspect’s whereabouts and related charges. Deputy Commander of the Toledo Police formation Inspector Ernell Dominguez gave Love News an update.” ERNELL DOMINGUEZ “The strength of commitment warrants PG police were able to detain one Miguel Choco who was also a suspect in the recent murder of Agrippina Coc of San Pedro Columbia Village. As a result of information received Miguel Choco was captured in the village of San Marcus and is presently still locked down at the prison as it relates to the warrant where the investigation into the murder continues. It is hopeful that sometime soon the PG police would be able to make some arrest in respect to that incident. Note Miguel Choco was known as a suspect in this incident, so far no charges have been read.”

Mayor Says Donated Garbage Trucks Are Working Well
In August the Ambassador of the Republic of China, Taiwan, Benjamin Ho, presented three compactor garbage trucks to Belize City Mayor Darrell Bradley. It was a donation to strengthen relations between the two nations. Bradley gave us an update on how the trucks are operating. DARRELL BRADLEY “We’ve used them in service and we are actually doing a partnership with Belmopan. I think they had difficulty with one of their garbage trucks. We routinely lend equipment also to other municipalities but the City Council does a night crew so even though we have Waste Control and we have BML, the City Council still has to pick up some of the shortfalls and so that vehicle is in use, those three vehicles are in use when we pick up the shortfall. We expect though that in the replacement of the service with BML that those things would be used twenty-four hours a day in terms of having to do the work that BML is doing for the city.”

Mayor Bradley Responds to Reggae Street Complaint
But one street that is not on Bradley’s list as yet is Reggae Street. Yesterday, we aired the plea from Reggae Street Resident, Dennis Wright, who says that for the past 20 years, City Council has refused in fixing Reggae Street. Mayor Darrell Bradley, says that Wright needs to be a bit more patient…. DARRELL BRADLEY “Well we had that in the southside area of our infrastructure; again when we finish this entire wave the Prime Minister had committed additional funding. We are working with the Area Representative who is the Honorable ‘Boots’ Martinez in terms of addressing some of the streets including Reggae Street. What I will say in respect to this and it may be a cop out but residents really just have to be patient. When we are doing the plan it’s a process. We have 520 roughly in Belize City; we’ve done about 30 streets to the pre-pave status; so we are working. We can’t get to every street, I know that there is a lot of complaints about significant areas in the city especially since the rains are besetting us but I mean it may be a cop out but we are asking people to have a bit of patience with us. We want to do the streets, if I had the money I would do all 520 of the streets but we just need to do a process. In two years we did the 130 and I suspect that within another year we can do more and more until eventually we get to all those streets.”

PUP Removes Saldivar As Standard Bearer and Executive Member
The judgement, following the investigation launched by the People’s United Party regarding Arthur Saldivar, was delivered this afternoon. FRANCIS FONSECA PUP’s Party Leader “With immediate effect, Mr. Arthur Saldivar is removed as the Standard Bearer for Belize Rural North for the People’s United Party and is removed as a member of the National Executive of the party.” It was quite a blow to the star Standard Bearer for the People’s United Party in the Belize Rural North division but despite the bad news, Saldivar walked out with head held high and very few words for the media houses that awaited his exit. The strong move against Saldivar comes about following several allegations that were made against him in the purview of his attorney-rendered services. While the media tried to get a clear understanding of the basis of the committee’s decision PUP’s Party Leader, Francis Fonseca told the press that he will not be releasing the details of the report submitted by the committee therefore we are unable to tell you if there were any truth founded in the allegations made against him or if the party was only looking out for the best interest of the party’s image….but whatever the case is, Fonseca told the media that due process was followed.

McKoy Freed of Charges; Complainant Says Police Forced His Statement
Deandre Mckoy, who is remanded on charges of murder and attempted murder, was freed of a charge of aggravated assault with a firearm when he appeared today before Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser. Senior magistrate Fraser dismissed the charge when the complainant, Akeem Augustine, who is also remanded on charges of murder and attempted murder, said that nothing like that happened and he was forced by the police to give a statement. The incident occurred in June 2012. Augustine, in his statement, said the Mckoy and another man, Lyson Cacho, pointed a firearm at him.

.380 Pistol Lands Man in Prison
Twenty-two year old Gildon Rivers, a resident of 96 Antelope Street Extension, was charged with kept firearm without a gun license when he appeared today before the Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith. Rivers pled not guilty to the charge. He was remanded into custody until November 6. The incident occurred on Monday, September 15. The police, members of the GSU, reported that they went to Rivers’ house to search for firearm and drugs and when Rivers opened the door they saw him drop a firearm he had in his hand to the ground. The police said that when they retrieved the firearm it was a .380 pistol with no ammunition in its magazine.

Pier One: Bar or No Bar?
When the BTL Park was being built, controversy began brewing when parents were complaining that what was supposed to be a family area, was going to be disturbed by a bar atop the sea…..but Belize City Mayor, Darrell Bradley, in his response at the time, said that there is no bar at BTL Park and that Pier One cannot be called a bar because food would be served. Here’s now is his defense… DARRELL BRADLEY “Well I wouldn’t concede that it is a bar for the simple reason that you can buy food there and I don’t go there, I mean I go there if I’m in the park in the evenings like around Thursday or Friday but you can purchase food there so I wouldn’t concede that. I will though say that the larger issue is the overall quality of the experience at the park and I am satisfied that the clientele, the ambiance and the atmosphere that the Pier bar generates contributes to the visitor experience there. I mean we monitor the park very closely to ensure that it is a success and I am satisfied that what is there at the pier together will all the other booths contributes. We did a lot of work in terms of selecting vendors, ensuring that there is a lot of diversity, I think that that facility there really adds to the visitor experience so that I am satisfied.”

PlusTV

Murder reported in Belize City
There was a mid-afternoon murder in Belize City. The shooters, who visited a yard on Dean Street and Euphrates Avenue on Wednesday afternoon around 2:00 p.m., did not get their man, but they did end the life of another and sent a third to the hospital. According to Raphael Martinez, Cyril Robinson was shot in the head and died en route to the KHMH. Rafael Martinez – Police Public Relations “Just a few minutes to 2 o’clock this afternoon we received some information about a shooting incident that occurred at the corner of Dean Street and Euphrates Avenue. Sadly, we had a fatality in which 56 year old Cyril McFoy Robinson was fatally injured. Also injured in this shooting incident today, we have a 45 year old Sean Cherrington who was injured to the leg.

Part of Parking Lot at Belmopan Civic Center has to be recast
As we had reported last week on Monday September 8th, the Belmopan City Council held a walk through event with members of the European Union, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Works, to look at some “Minor details of some final works,” in preparation for the relocation of the Tuesday/ Fri...

Belmopan Market Vendors concerned with new developments
Some Market Vendors expressed concerns about these new developments at the Civic Center of which, we were told, they knew nothing of. At the last meeting with City Council which took place on Friday September 5th, they were told they would be relocated to the newly renovated Civic Center when the co...

Maya Mopan Bridge still not fixed
In August 28th, we told you about the deteriorating conditions of the bridge that connects the Maya Mopan Area with San Martin, and by extension the City of Belmopan. The bridge has been standing for well over 15 years...

Denny Grijalva to recover debt from Orange Walk Town Council
In July of this year, businessman, pastor and political candidate Denny Grijalva took the Orange Walk Town Council to court. Mr Grijalva’s company, De-Mar’s Stone Construction Limited, was hired by the former UDP-majority Town Council to pave several streets in the town, and charged them $188,000 - ...

Survey Pegs Removed in Santa Cruz Village
Santa Cruz villagers have been complaining about the surveying of some public lands in that community by the UDP caretaker and the Government of Belize, without any consultation with the Village Council, despite being mandated by the Village Council Act...

Controversial Subdivision on Ambergris Caye
Government authorities have been tightlipped about a proposed housing project in North Ambergris Caye forty acres for house lots to residents of the island. The trouble is, that the area in question, known as Sunset Cove, was supposed to have been part of an expanded Hol Chan Marine Reserve...

Belize attacks issue of Ozone Layer Destroyers
Most Belizeans have a refrigerator or air conditioning unit in their homes or offices - occasionally both. But few know that the gases used to power these modern luxuries can be harmful to them - and to their environment. Since the 1980′s countries have worked together to address the issue of ozone-...

Patrick Jones

Yasser Musa speaks out on Government House project
On September 10 during ceremonies to mark the 216th anniversary of the Battle of St. George’s Caye, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation Manuel Heredia Jr announced plans for a $14 million upgrade to the Government House (House of Culture) in Belize City. It is part of […]

Recyclers trained in health and occupational safety
The Belize Solid Waste Management Authority has been charged of the safe disposal of refuse for Belize City and towns along the western corridor from San Ignacio to San Pedro for several years now. But the unsung heroes of the project are the approximately 21 recyclers, ordinary Belizeans […]

PUP says decision to drop Arthur Saldivar “in his best interest”
PUP Leader Francis Fonseca has said that today’s decision by the party’s National Executive to immediately remove Arthur Saldivar as its Standard Bearer for the Belize Rural North Constituency as well as from its National Executive was not easy. “It is never easy for anyone to sit in […]

Cayo cyclist wins Junior Category of September Criterium in Belize City
San Ignacio resident Keion Robateau won the Junior Category of the BCC/Leslie’s Imports September Criterium which was held over the weekend on the Albert and Regent Streets circuit in Belize City. Results published online are as follows: 5 Years and under: 1. Kyron Staine 2. Kaelie Burgess […]

National Garifuna Council Belmopan Branch under new Leadership
The National Garifuna Council Belmopan Branch expressed heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Romaldo Lewis for holding the leadership of the branch for 4.5 years. Mr. Lewis has brought dynamism into the branch and brought back the strength the branch needed but now he is moving on to personal […]

Fatal shooting incident in Belize City
A man was shot to death this afternoon in Belize City and another injured. The shooting happened around 2 pm at the corner of Dean Street and Euphrates Avenue. 56 year Cyril McFoy and 45 year old Shawn Cherrington were reportedly socializing in a yard, when they were […]

PUP removes Arthur Saldivar as standard bearer
The main opposition People’s United Party (PUP) today took the decision to remove Arthur Saldivar as its Standard Bearer for the Belize Rural North Constituency. Saldivar, who is an attorney at law by profession, was suspended late last month, pending an investigation into allegations of misbehaviour on his […]

Home invasion reported in Xaibe village, Corozal
A Corozal woman was left shaken this afternoon after a home invasion at her residence. Delia Daniels who lives in Xiabe village, went to the neighbourhood shop around midday today and that was when a man entered her house through one of her kitchen windows. According to preliminary […]

Orange Walk prepares for Independence Day parade
The Orange Walk Town Council is pressing ahead with infrastructure works, hoping to complete a major part of it in time for this weekend’s parade route. Mayor Kevin Bernard says the remedial work being carried out on the intersection of Cinderella and Progress Streets is expected to […]

Good weather ahead the next couple of days
Fair conditions are currently dominating our weather heading into the second part of the week. The general forecast for Belize and her coastal waters is for mostly sunny skies this afternoon. Tonight will be partly cloudy. Only isolated showers and thunderstorms are expected. Winds over the open sea and along the coast will be easterly to south easterly at 5 to 15 knots. The sea state will be light chop to choppy. High temperatures tonight will be around 88 degrees Fahrenheit along coastal areas; 93 degrees Fahrenheit inland and a comfortable 78 degrees Fahrenheit up in the hills.

Car and cargo truck collide; policeman dies
The police press officer Raphael Martinez has issued a preliminary report on this morning’s fatal road traffic accident in Toledo. 29 year old Marvin Sedassey perished when a Ford Escort car he was driving, collided head-on into a cargo truck around 7:45 am. Police say that the fatal crash happened near mile 4 on the Southern Highway in Forest Home village.

Police officer perishes in traffic accident
One man died this morning in a road traffic accident on the Southern Highway. Preliminary information received say that a police officer Mark Sedassie, who was serving with the Traffic Department in Toledo perished when a small car crashed head on with a cargo truck. The fatal crash happened around 7:45 am in Forest Home village.

Blogs

An Easy Journey From San Pedro to Orange Walk, A Town READY For Independence Day
Yesterday I planned a morning water taxi to start my trip to Orange Walk, Belize. Sugar City. An area of agriculture – primarily sugar cane – Spanish speakers, food, Mestizo culture, rum, Maya sites like Lamanai and the unofficial capital city of Belize’s Independence celebrations. Many will attest that the parade on September 21st in Orange Walk is the best in the country. But since I will be enjoying my “home town parade” in San Pedro that day, I thought I’d check out some of the build-up. Check out the fair and the rides, the decorations…and how Orange Walk was preparing for the big day. Belize’s 33rd birthday. We pulled into Belize City at about 11.20am and caught a taxi over to the bus station. An 11.45am local bus was practically empty and waiting. Almost too good to be true… It was the local…which means it can stop anywhere and everywhere. But luckily, once you get past Ladyville, this area is pretty sparsely populated. I walked towards the town center. I have only been here one time before – but again, I was surprised by how big Orange Walk is. A full blown fair is set up…that includes the BIG ferris wheel. The one that made me excited, then slightly scared and then sick a few months ago at the Belmopan Agriculture Show. This thing ain’t for pantywaists…

Fajitas Texanas
Fajitas are usually made with either shrimp, beef or chicken, but sometimes you can mix all three protein and make this delicious dish called Fajitas Texanas. Please check out each of my individual videos listed below to see how to make each of the dishes.

International Sources

More Indians escape to Ambergris Caye, Belize for holiday
According to a recent study of travel trends, the number of Indians planning to travel abroad in 2014 has gone up by 21 percent compared to the previous year. Indians prefer travelling closer home with Asian cities dominating the 'Top 20 Destinations' and Asia being the 'Top Continent'. US takes number one spot in the 'Top Countries' category. The data reveals interesting findings in the 'Emerging Destinations' and 'Emerging Countries' categories with Ambergris Caye, Belize topping the list in emerging destination and China leading as the emerging country for travellers. Looking at the accommodation space, it seems Indians are moving away from being traditional holiday goers with respect to lodging preferences. The global statistics show that almost 30% favour options such as bed&breakfast;, vacation rentals etc. versus hotels (70%). This trend is further reflected in the global room rates data with almost 50% outbound Indians opting for rooms up to INR 5000.

Give a man a fish
Beheadings. Beatings. Murders. Hassles. Friction. Ever broiling, ever toiling, it’s a ball of confusion. Which gives me all the excuse I need to lay down, close my eyes, and go escapist, back to that enchanted afternoon in the perfect blue water of the Caribbean Sea, just off Ambergris Caye, the playground of Belize. There were six of us on this snorkeling tour, and we had parked in an area known for its sharks and rays. We were in the water, which was all of maybe five feet deep. The bottom was covered with grass, and in the grass, hundreds and hundreds of living conchs. The Conch Garden. Pretty neat. Captain Chuck told us to just hang around the boat, because he was going to load the chum bucket and throw it out there. He promised that things would get interesting soon after. In two minutes, three nurse sharks showed up to have a look. These are big fish, about seven feet long and unmistakably sharks. They are also completely cool with people, and we could swim near them without fear, which was nice. It was dramatic and fascinating watching them go after the free food in the bucket, unbothered and unfazed by our presence.

A Blood-Sucking Foe Lurks in Central American Caves
Kissing bugs, which can spread Chagas disease, turned up positive for human blood meals in caves in Guatemala and Belize. Since the dawn of our species, caves have provided humans with shelter and safe haven. And while caves today are more likely to attract tourists than settlers, Latin America’s extensive cavern systems still frequently harbor weary overnight guests, from hunters to local workers hired to protect the caves against vandals. Some of those visitors, however, pay a steep price for that shelter—their blood and, potentially, their health. Kissing bugs are blood-sucking nocturnal insects that inhabit Central and South America. The amorous moniker arose because they often bite sleeping victims around the mouth. Even more worrisome is the fact that kissing bugs transmit Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasite that causes Chagas disease. That malady—which can go undetected for years—causes life-threatening heart and digestion problems in at least 30 percent of its victims. It is the most costly parasitic disease in Latin America, where some 9 million people carry the T. cruzi parasite. Normally, kissing bugs implicated in the disease creep into people’s homes at night or live in thatched walls and roofs. But researchers from the University of Vermont, the University of San Carlos of Guatemala and Loyola University New Orleans wondered whether caves might be another potential site of transmission. In Guatemala, people often use caves for religious ceremonies as well as for shelter, and caves in both Guatemala and Belize are popular tourist attractions. One cave in Belize is even a regular bathing site for both locals and tourists.

Caribbean arrivals increase 4.3% for first half of 2014
Increases in overall Caribbean visitor arrivals from January through June are on pace with the world average of 4.7%, thanks to strong numbers posted by 17 island countries. Arrival figures for six other Caribbean countries are stagnant or below those compared with the first six months of 2013. The Caribbean recorded an overall rise of 4.3% in visitor arrivals during the first half of this year, according to Winfield Griffith, director of research and information technology at the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO). Close to 14 million stayover tourists visited the Caribbean from January through June, with nearly half (6.9 million) coming from the U.S., compared with 6.6 million during the same period in 2013, a 3.9% jump in arrivals from the U.S. market. Approximately 25 million travelers in total visited the Caribbean region in 2013. Griffith also reported an 8% increase in the cruise sector in the first half of 2014, topping 13.1 million passengers. For the winter period from January through April, four smaller countries reported double-digit growth, including Belize (12.4%), Grenada (13.6%), Haiti (14.9%) and Montserrat (35.4%), but their visitor numbers were relatively small to begin with.

Tech Hungry Looking for Technology Donations to Help Change the Lives of Children
An innovative technology and education charity which has helped to change the lives of 300 children has issued a rallying cry to help them grow. Tech-Hungry, based in Palm Bay, Florida, has developed an initiative which brings science and technology equipment to schools in some of the most remote parts of the world. “We want to help as many children as possible enjoy science and technology,” said Mr Montelone, who is the President and CEO of Tech-Hungry. “Every child in the world could have access to the equipment that a lot of schools take for granted.” The Tech-Hungry program has already helped two schools in Belize since being set up earlier this year. Calla Creek, one of the schools to benefit, was supplied with laptops, microscopes, solar learning kits, robot building kits, a telescope and a whole host of other pieces of equipment and accessories.

Videos

Video: Aziatic @ Belize's Mega Fest 2014, 5min.
NCE IT GOT STARTED THERE WAS NOT A BORING MOMENT. I WILL BE POSTING A FEW CLIPS FROM THE BELIZE MEGA FEST SEPT.14TH 2014 IN LA

Video: La Isla Bonita - Episodio 1 - Episode 1, 4min.
La Telenovela de Belize. Belize's Telenovela with English Subtitles En una isla caribeña, llena de vida y belleza tropical nace una historia de amor, dolor, suspenso, obsesión, codicia y envidia. Producida en San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. Su compra apoya la producción de futuros episodios. On a Caribbean island, full of life and tropical beauty unfolds a story full of love, pain, suspense, obsession, greed and envy. Produced in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. Your rental supports the production of future episodes.

Video: Cave Tubing in Belize, 4min.

Video: Chilling in Belize, 1min.
piddling around on the pier...

Video: Belize (#1), 16min.
Scuba diving

Video: Hitler finds out... about the Boogie in Belize, 4min.

Video: Relocating a Crocodile -Belize, 7min.

Video: The Boys of Belize - 2014, 4min.

Video: Diving Blue Hole - Belize, 3min.
Uno dei migliori spot diving del mondo, di sicuro uno dei più pofondi . Tutti quelli che amano immergesi dovrebbero andare un giorno al Blue Hole in Belize anche se il cost è proibitivo: 280$ per 3 dives.

September 17, 2014

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Specials and Events

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

The San Pedro Sun

Man VS. Macho Burger
Five pounds of food to be eaten in one hour: two pounds of meat, cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, one humongous homemade burger bun, plus a pound of fries on the side. That was the challenge that Elvi’s Kitchen chef Jennie Staines put forth. There were many brave souls signing up. After all, Chef Jennie’s food is amazing. Who could pass it up?! This contest was followed up by the Junior burger competition. Half the size of the Macho, the Machito was still a hefty two-and-a-half pounder with a side of fries. One brave young lady and eight young men sat down to devour their burgers. There was no doubt that this competition would see a winner, as buns, meat, and fries disappeared like lightning. It was clear that the competition was between Gian and Jair, and to the loud cheers of the audience, both boys raced to finish. In the end, Gian took the top prize in just under 18 minutes, and was even ready for dessert! Perhaps he’ll qualify for the Macho Burgers next year!

Florentino Velasquez charged for Aggravated Burglary
San Pedro Police have arrested, charged and remanded Florentino Velasquez for the crime of Aggravated Burglary. The incident occurred in the early hours of Friday, September 12th when Velasquez broke into an apartment in the Tres Cocos Area and wounded three persons. According to police, shortly after midnight 68-year-old retired US national Douglas Kelly and his wife, 65-year-old Gail Neal were in their living room when they heard a noise coming from their front veranda. Kelly went to and opened the front door to investigate the source of the noise, when he was attacked by Velasquez who was armed with a kitchen knife. Velasquez proceeded to enter the home, inflicting wounds to both Kelly and Neal.

San Pedro celebrated Central American and Mexican Independence
The San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) held celebrations on Saturday, September 13th to honor the independence of the Central American and Mexican communities living in San Pedro. The event is held annually and is listed under San Pedro’s September Celebrations Calendar of activities. Throughout the night, the communities showcased their countries’ cultures through food and music. Opening the event was Mayor Daniel Guerrero, who welcomed the crowd with a warm address. “San Pedro is a diverse community, with people from our neighboring countries having settled here. The Central American and Mexican communities have contributed greatly to our rich culture. On their day, let us honor them and continue growing together as one San Pedro community,” said Guerrero. 2014 Noche Centroamericana-7Next to speak was Honorable Manuel Heredia Jr. who spoke on the importance of the unities between the Central American and Mexican community. “Belize has long been friends with our neighbors and we will continue to be friends. We need to strengthen the unity between our nations so that we can help each other achieve our goals,” said Heredia.

Ambergris Today

Kirsty Arnott Celebrates Quinceaños
Saturday, September 13, 2014, the lovely Kirsty Arnott Celebrated her Quinceaños (15th Birthday) in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. She celebrated with close family and friends at a private party held in her honor at the Lion's Den. Kirsty, daughter of Idelida and Michael Arnott (+), was officially presented to society by her godparents Lisette Graniel and Ruben Gonzalez Jr. Congratulations Kirsty!

Belize Sees Huge Increase in Cruise Arrivals
Belize received 527,037 cruise passengers in the first half of 2014, according to data released by the Caribbean Tourism Organization. That represented a 36.9 percent increase over the first six months of 2013, according to CTO data. It was also the largest increase in cruise visits by any Caribbean destination with complete reporting for the first half, according to an analysis by Caribbean Journal. The next-highest increase was that of Cozumel, which saw a 19.4 percent increase in the same period.

Misc Belizean Sources

Belmopan Got Talent
Belmopan is celebrating September with some fun events, with Belmopan Got Talent tonight and Wednesday. "Bring your kids out to the INDEPENDENCE park tomorrow night. Belmopan September Celebrations presenting Belmopan Got Talent! SPECIAL NIGHT for the entire family. Food, Drinks games, bouncy house, face painting, Karate Performance, Dancing, Singing, etc - Come enjoy a safe, fun filled night of entertainment. Sept 16th & 17th. 6:30 pm "

Maki's Clay Art Class
The Soul Project is the setting for Maki's clay art classes. Great spot.

October Urban Birdwatch
We are coming to bird-watch in a neighborhood near you. Feel Free to join us! Share! and mark the dates on your calendar.

Torch Run 2014
The 2014 Torch Run is this Saturday, September 20th. The run is from Belmopan to Cayo. Pictures from the 2012 Torch Run. "Once again Scouts hosting Patriotic Torch Run 2014, Sept 20th from Belmopan to San Ignacio Town. If Interested please contact us ASAP. its on a 1st come first serve base, Space are limited."

17 Honored as Belizean Patriots
17 people were honored and recognized as Belizean patriots last Thursday. Congratulations to all! Here's a list of those honored. "Remembering our country's patriots, the brave men and women whose loyalty to our homeland inspires us... Thank you for your distinguished service from the Government and people of Belize... Recognized Belizean Patriots 2014"

Channel 7

GSU Commander Accused of Lawless, Disorderly Conduct, Denies It
Commander of the GSU, Inspector Mark Flowers went head to head with former two - term Prime Minister said Musa two weeks ago. And tonight, Flowers is making headlines again - this time he's accused of roughing up two women with a firearm while under the influence. It happened on Wilson Street on Sunday night, September 12th. Flowers says he came upon a group of 15 children on the street at a few minutes to eleven and told them to go home. He says that's when two women claiming to be their mothers challenged him. He says he left and called the police to take care of the matter - without taking the children into custody. But the women say he was out of line, pulled a gun and made threats. They even captured him on cell phone camera! We spoke to the women this evening, and asking to appear off camera, they described to us what happened:.. Victim #1 "We were greeting Britney for her birthday and I notice that a car was following them from I was coming up the street, but I wasn't paying it any mind and the car came down one way follow behind them and it stopped. The man came out and start to clap and chased us home. We didn't pay it any mind because he was high and so we continued to talk and that was when he came out of his car and he string-up one of the kids. That was when I said "sir you don't have to do that." I said it two times and then he came and push.

Bze City Mayor, Pvt. Attorney Gets Sup. Court Judgment Against Sister Council
UDP Standard Bearer for Orange Walk Central Denny Grijalva today won a lawsuit against the PUP Orange Walk Town Board. In 2012, Grijalva's company De-Mar's construction was hired by the former UDP Town Council to pave some streets in the town; he claims the bill came up to 188 thousand dollars - and that the council paid him less than half. He says the UDP council agreed to pay him the balance in monthly installments, but then a PUP council was elected, and he claims they have not honoured the agreement. They argued that the agreement was not properly entered into by the former mayor. Today Justice Sonya Young said, regardless, the work had been done and the debt had to be paid. We spoke to Grijalva's attorney Darrell Bradley and Grjalva himself outside court. Darrel Bradley, Attorney "Really on all it was a very good decision. We haven't gotten the written decision yet. As I said we haven't won on all points but essentially what Mr. Grjalva was suing for is a dent amount and he was awarded the full debt amount of $80,000 plus." Denny Grijalva, UDP Standard Bearer - Orange Walk Central "I feel good about it because I think justice was served. I believe that we gave the town council all kinds of way to pay the bill and they were trying to go around the bush and finally we won the case. I am happy about it."

Man Charged For San Pedro Murder
There were three weekend murders countrywide, and so far there has only been an arrest for one of them. That is 31 year old Moses Coc, the San Pedro Salesman who was bludgeoned to death with a piece of wood on Saturday night in the island town. 26 year old Jermaine Moody a construction worker has been charged by police and will be arraigned most likely tomorrow. He has reportedly confessed to the crime. The family believes the motive was robbery but police say they think Moody just wanted to chance a drinking man.

Polyclinic Admin. Sabal Fired Based On Audit Findings
The Administrator at the Dangriga Polyclinic Harry Sabal has been fired. He was placed on suspension one month ago and he received his letter of termination on Friday, September 12th by hand delivery. Today CEO Peter Allen told us that Sabal is a contract officer and the Solicitor General reviewed a copy of a report on the polyclinic from the Auditor General's Office. Based on the allegations of misconduct made in that report the Solicitor General advised the ministry that there were sufficient grounds in the report to justify Sabal's termination. He reportedly received one month's notice pay with vacation plus salary that was withheld while on suspension. Sabal had been managing the polyclinic for 5 years and is known as a UDP supporter. The Ministry of Health apparently does not have enough to file a police report - as they did in the Nasley Summerville case. The Commissioner of police has also received a copy of the report.

Hon. Pablo Says Malfeasance Happens
The auditor general is also looking into the acquisition of an X-Ray machine and other supplies at the KHMH for what are reported to be exorbitant prices. That investigation is also examining the actions of a well-connected UDP who was a pivotal figure who had a senior post at the KHMH. Yesterday we asked Health Minister Pablo Marin about rogue UDP's gaming the system. He said, it's hard to stop:.. Hon. Pablo Marin, Minister of Health "This happen anywhere you go; in a simple store you have somebody trying to steal from you will find that. The only thing that I can assure you or I can state to the public is that the Ministry of Health is the only ones that send our auditors to check at our hospitals because we are not afraid of anything and if there is a strong UDP like what you mentioned doing any mismanagement he has to pay for it and that's what we are doing right now."

Ambergris Caye Wetland, Subject Of Political Land Grab
Last night, we showed you our story on the dispute in San Pedro in which there are reports that a housing area is being planned in a part of the Island, which was set aside as a protected wetland reserve. It involves the area north of San Pedro Town known as Sunset Cove, which is a wetland featuring a sprawling lagoon and mangrove forests. As we told you last night, this area was supposed to be part of a new Zone F, which was going to be an expansion of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, co-managed by the Fisheries Department and the management of Hol Chan. This expansion was planned 3 years ago, and last year, the Protected Areas Conservation Trust, PACT granted Hol Chan Marine Reserve a 199 thousand dollar grant to fund the project. But PACT pulled their funding in July of this year which stirred a lot of questions. That's when the island conservationist community found out about a planned housing project in the Sunset Cove area, which is close to fringes of the proposed Zone F. They took the media out to the location all day yesterday, and today, Daniel Ortiz takes a closer look at the significance of this proposed housing area in a location set aside to become a protected area.

Hon. Heredia Answers Critics
The man who is in the hot seat because it was suspected that he was the chief architect of this controversial housing plan is Manuel Junior Heredia. We were able to grab him for a very brief moment a few minutes before he boarded his 5:30 p.m. flight back to San Pedro this evening. It wasn't the ideal opportunity to address all our questions to him. Nevertheless, we took the opportunity and here's what he told us before the Tropic Air officials asked us to end our interview so that he could get on the plane: Daniel Ortiz "You are the architect of a new housing area in the Sunset Cove areas which is supposed to be set aside for a reserve. Do you know anything of this? Is it correct?" Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr., Minister of Tourism "Well first of all, yes there is a subdivision that we were working on which last night I saw the pictures of that. I will look at it personally on the site and if the area is not suitable then I will see that it's relocated. I haven't seen it, but if that is the case then I will see that we rectify it, but it is not a reserve. There is a proposed Hol Chan expansion that is being there but that is not yet being approved, it is yet to be amended or whatever before anything will be done. It is not a reserve at this point."

The Challenge Of San Mateo
So, we've dealt with the environmental aspects of this proposed housing project. So, what about the social and economic concerns? One of the issues which immediately comes to the forefront is the fact that this housing project is within a wetland, which means that it is mostly lagoon and swamps. The fear is that because it is not planned properly, it will become the underbelly, the eyesore that San Mateo on San Pedro currently is. Currently, the Government and the San Pedro Town Council are trying their best to fix the headache that San Mateo has been for over a decade. It's basically San Pedro's version of a slum. Yesterday, we asked Mayor Daniel Guerrero about it, but it came up after a discussion about the new upgrades to the Ambergris Caye Road. 3+ million dollars is being invested to concrete this street, which feeds all the major resorts on the island, to improve the tourism value of the destination.

San Mateo, Where the "San" Sleeps Under A London Bridge
But in order to understand the fears of this housing project being put in the location, one has to see what its residents have had to deal with because of that institutional neglect. Our Jules Vasquez and Keith Swift encountered first-hand what the living conditions are like in San Mateo, San Pedro. These stories are from our archives are over 8 years old and 4 years-old respectively, and we acknowledge that they are outdated, and a lot of progress has been made to make it hospitable.

Case Against Cop For Corruption. Did He Do It For McAfee?
In May of 2012, we told you about 44 year old Police Corporal Darius Martinez who was arrested for attempting to corrupt an officer, resisting arrest and using obscene language. Martinez was allegedly trying to bribe a member of the GSU to give him information concerning the investigation into the infamous John McAfee case. Well, today his no case submission was denied by Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith. His attorney Anthony Sylvester made the submission over a month ago saying that the recorded conversation between Martinez and the GSU officer showed nothing said that alluded to the intent to corrupt. Next Week Tuesday, PC Martinez will present his defense. The chief magistrate in her ruling noted that the prosecution established a prime facie case against him.

From Hotel To Jail For Biltmore Employee
Tonight a 27 year old Biltmore Plaza trainee Crystal Nunez is on remand awaiting sentencing after she was found guilty of harm to a teenager. The incident occurred at her work place on January 28th 2014 at 10 in the morning. The 19 year old stated that she was conversing at work with friends when Nunez, a woman she knew for 5 years passed by and accused her and the women she was with, of gossiping about her. She said Nunez uttered some unpleasant words and then left only to return 5 minutes later, grabbed her by the blouse and punched her in the face, bursting her lip. Nunez denied punching Clark and said she only confronted her and held her by her clothes. But that contradicted an earlier statement in which she said she punch the teenager because the younger woman had spit in her face. Gloria Crystal Nunez will be sentenced for harm on Sept. 30th. She could go to jail for as many as 6 months to 3 years for harm.

Bze Companies Create Apps To Drive Mobile Business Their Way
A month ago, we told you about the PUC's one week Mobile App workshop to train youths to develop their own apps. Well, this trail blazing initiative has not only inspired the youths but also businesses to create a mobile apps to enhance the quality of their products and services and create a more complete customer experience. Courtney Weatherburne found out more about two trend-setting apps: Courtney Weatherburne reporting There's a multitude of mobile applications to choose from, there are apps to access the famed and popular facebook and the convenience of whatsapp and of course there are the addictive mobile game apps all for one's personal use. But apps aren't only for fun, increasingly Belizean businesses are seeing them as a way to attract and keep customers. Two companies who are joining the main stream mobile platform are Flavors of Belize and Central TV and internet. The two companies provide different services and cater to different target markets but share one common goal: they want their product on your mobile phone:

Artist Calls "Colonial Museum" Concept Offensive
In his address on the Tenth of September, Minister of Tourism Junior Heredia made a major announcement: a 3 year $40 million project spearheaded by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, NICH and the Belize City Council for the rehabilitation of quote, "Colonial resources" within…the old historic downtown of Belize City." End quote. He added that under the project, quote, "the Belize City House of Culture will be transformed and established as the national Colonial Museum of Belize." Well that has stirred the ire of one well known cultural activist and artist. Former NICH President Yasser Musa has sent an open letter challenging the designation of a colonial museum. He calls it quote, "retrograde, racist and disturbing…"

Getting the O-Zone In Order
For the past few months we have been reporting on Climate Change conferences and initiatives geared at responding to Climate Change in Belize. Well, it is a complex discussion, scientifically and economically. And one of the foremost issues is protection of the Ozone layer. Today the National Ozone Unit along with other stakeholders held an Ozone Open House to commemorate International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer. The main idea is to highlight the success so far in substituting the ozone depleting substances namely Chloro-flouro-carbons and Hydro-fluoro-carbons (HCFC) - which are the stuffed use din refrigerators and air conditioners to make them cold. Those have been replaced with safe substances known as hydrocarbons. This may all seem like heavy science, but there's a real human dividend. Chief Environmental Officer, Martin Alegria told us more: Martin Alegria, Chief Environmental Officer "The ozone depleting substances as we called them or ODS, they were discovered back in the late 70s and early 1980s, like 83/85. The global community came together and said if we don't do anything about protecting the ozone layer and addressing these ozone depleting substances we won't be here for a while. Displayed here today you will see is exactly what I started saying that we need to acknowledge those people who have been working arduously behind the scenes and up front in trying to assist the ozone layer protection. With us here today you will see displays by the private sector; those who import not only the gasses or those alternates that are being use in the interim as we call them right now, but also the equipment that these new replacement gasses as we called them are using. I think the ozone layer protection program has been one of the success stories in global environmental management. It's a success story because of the partnerships that governments have built with private sector, with key stakeholders, the refrigeration technician etc. So it is something that we need to acknowledge and recognize keep layers as we celebrate this day today."

Adios, Carnival
We close tonight with a final farewell to carnival 2014 by looking back at the road march. IT was the cumulative output of countless months of preparation, practice and fundraising, and the revelers left it all on the city streets.

Channel 5

GSU Boss Mark Flowers Under Fire From Wilson Street Women
  Mark Flowers, the Head of the Gang Suppression Unit, made the headlines recently when he made public comments against the two-term former Prime Minister Said Musa, who at a [...]

Is Sunset Cove Subdivision in San Pedro Manny Heredia’s Idea?
In Monday’s newscast, we showed you an innovative new underwater subdivision planned in north Ambergris Caye. It’s allegedly the brainchild of Area Representative, Manuel Heredia, and the San Pedro Town [...]

Belize Designated as Part of U.S. Drug Transit Route
Allegations of securities fraud and money laundering, in recent days placed Belize on the international headlines. Tonight, the issue of drug trafficking is attracting negative attention for the country. On [...]

FirstCaribbean’s Dangriga Branch Manager Reassigned
Former employee of CIBC First Caribbean International Bank, Uwahnie Martinez broke the silence surrounding her plight at the Dangriga branch last Tuesday, following her resignation from the institution.  According to [...]

Coalition of Garifuna Organizations Chart Way Forward
According to Swaso, the ordeal has galvanized the wider Garifuna community. Efforts are currently underway to explore all avenues pertaining to the matter, including legal options in light of what [...]

Should Minister of Education be removed from office because of recent allegations?
And tonight question is: Do you believe the Minister of Education should be removed from office because of the recent allegations made by his staffer? Send your comments and responses [...]

McKesson Garrett Succumbs to Injuries Following Vicious Dog Attack
Seventy-two year old McKesson Garrett was hospitalized since July nineteenth after he was attacked by four vicious Rottweilers. Garnett went to visit his friend, Leroy Woods, who lives at mile [...]

Police Recover Murder Weapon in Near-decapitation of Guatemalan National
On Sunday morning, the life of a Guatemalan national was callously taken a stone’s throw from where he lived in the Duck Run Three Area of Spanish Lookout, Cayo District. [...]

$3000 in Contraband Alcohol Seized in the West
On Friday’s newscast we reported about a bust of contraband goods in Bullet Tree Area.  Members of the Crimes Investigation Branch and the Special Branch of the San Ignacio Police [...]

Champagne Paris Accused of Stealing Female Items in Independence
  In early July, nineteen-year-old Perfilio Rodriguez spent two nights on remand at the Belize Central Prison after being charged for aggravated assault. Rodriguez, also known as Vanessa Champagne Paris, [...]

San Pedro Mayor Requests Additional Police Following Spike in Crime on the Island
There have been seven murders so far this year in San Pedro, the destination which accounts for a significant portion of the nation’s tourism revenue. The year isn’t done yet. [...]

Saca Chispa Football Field Criticized by San Pedranos
Early this year, with much fanfare, ceremony and even fireworks, government opened the state of the art Water Taxi Terminal in San Pedro, one component of a six million dollar [...]

Health Minister Pablo Marin on Stolen Vehicles
Because of our volume of news on Monday, we didn’t carry the following two stories. First, we have a report on stolen vehicles from the Ministry of Health which has [...]

Improvements at Neonatal Intensive Care Unit One Year After Thirteen Babies Died
Very real and still vivid in the minds of many Belizeans is the deaths of seven babies inside the neonatal intensive care unit of the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital back [...]

International Day of Ozone Celebrated in Belize
International Day of Ozone is celebrated annually on September sixteen and this year it is being held under the theme, “Ozone Layer Protection: The Mission Goes On.” It’s not one [...]

CTV3

Belize Identified As A Drug Transit Country By The U.S
Each year the President of the United States, in this case Barrack Obama, under the Foreign Relations Authorization Act (FRAA), is required to notify Congress of those countries he determines to be major illicit drug-producing countries or major drug-transit countries that “significantly affect the United States.” This year’s list has been determined and Belize is one of the countries being called out. This year the President has identified twenty-two countries as major illicit drug-producing or drug-transit countries: Afghanistan, the Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Burma, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela.

Man Killed In San Pedro Town
There is a murder to report from San Pedro Town but authorities say they have arrested the alleged perpetrator of the crime. Police in San Pedro report that around 10pm on Saturday, September 13th, 31 year old Moses Coc was walking on Angel Coral Street when he was attacked from behind and sustained a massive blow to the head with a piece of wood. According to an initial report, the San Pedro Quick Response Team (QRT) responded to a distress call and visited the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II where they saw Coc bleeding profusely from the back of his head. Coc succumbed to his injury and was officially pronounced dead at 11:10pm. It is reported that Coc was out socializing with friends earlier in the night.

Stamp Exhibition Opens At BHOC
Philatelists or anyone interested to view a collection of new and vintage stamps can head down to the Banquitas House of Culture to view the Stamps of Belize Exhibition. Visitors will be immersing in a showcase of hundreds of stamps collected over the years, our newsteam was there and filed this report. Maria Novelo – Reporting One-of-a-kind priceless stamps ranging from the Queen Victoria Era, British Honduras and the Vatican State are among the many timed pieces in this exhibition named Stamps of Belize being hosted at the Banquitas House of Culture. Philatelists or stamp collectors, Rainaldo Urbina Jr. and his Uncle Elito Urbina Sr., say the exhibit highlights the history of Belize in all its grandeur.

COLCHA Celebrates Five Years
Over a thousand spectators made their way to the Corozal Central Park to celebrate the 5th Anniversary of the Art in the Park on Saturday. Five years ago, the idea was born to expose the various talents of Corozaleños. Through Art in the Park, photographer Debora Wilkes and other members of the COLCHA Group have managed to meet their aim and along the way artisans even make some much needed funds. David Ackierman– COLCHA“Exactly five years ago the idea of art in the park birthed, Debera Wilkskay, member of COLCHA came up with this idea five years ago and that is where we took it and it is an event that people looking forward every month.”

Won Hong Kim Passport In Belize, COLA On The Move
The private prosecution against disgraced former Minister Elvin Penner, viewers may recall took an undesired turn for the prosecutor, COLA, Citizens Organized for Liberty through Action. Elvin Penner, as the public can recall, is accused of facilitating the issuance of a Belizean passport to South Korean criminal, Won Hong Kim while he was in prison. The private prosecution began on March 27th in Belmopan and Penner was charged with two immigration offenses but on July 24th the case was struck out on the basis of a lack of evidence. While the case was in court however, the COLA had clamored that government bring back and hand over the passport that had been issued to Won Hong Kim. That never happened but that passport is now back in the country. Will this now make a stronger case for the organization which has appealed the decision? We spoke with Geovannie Brackett, President of COLA on the matter.

O/W Police Make Arrest On Robbery Case
There are two updates to report on from robberies that occurred in late August and over the weekend. Authorities in Orange Walk Town say the first, which occurred on Thursday August 28th, has pointed them to the alleged perpetrator and he has been arrested and charged. Officer Commanding the Orange Walk Police Formation, Inspector Selvin Tillett, says this was all done based on surveillance footage from the store. Inspector, Selvin Tillette – Deputy Commander, OW Police “At about 9:22pm, one Chinese businessman of 126 Belize/Corozal road, Orange Walk Town reported that about 7:30 on the same date he was at his shop along with his wife when he saw two male persons of Hispanic decent came by the door, one of them had a hand gun and the other had a knife, the male person with the hand gun pointed the gun at them and demanded money and went into the cash drawer and they took three hundred dollars of different denomination and both left the area on bicycles, police visited the scene and carry out an investigation and on the 13th day of September made the arrest of one Jose Estelito Orellano 21 years a Belizean labourer of Mopan Street Orange Walk town for the crime of robbery and we are still seeking on another person in relation to this incident.”

Ruthless Thieves Attack Darvi's Store In O/W
There was another robbery There was another robbery reported, this time the incident occurred on Saturday afternoon after brazen thieves targeted a lone businesswoman at her establishment named Darvi’s located on Cemetery Street. Second in Command, Inspector Selvin Tillett says they have made an arrest in this latest heist. Inspector, Selvin Tillette – Deputy Commander, OW Police “Rosalba Canul, 44 years Belizean residents of Cemetery street, Orange Walk and reported on the 11th day of September 2:15pm at Darvis located at 6th Cemetry street Orange Walk Town, she saw two male person of creole decent arrived riding of separate bicycles, both walked inside the store and one of them war wearing a red cap and no mask, walked at her and pointed the hand gun at her meanwhile the other individual who had a black rag on his face, the complainant further say that one demanded money and threatened to kill her, they stole $406.00 in cash, a smart phone valued at $250.00 and another smart phone valued at $119.00 and thereafter they made good their escape, police investigation into this incident led to the arrest of one Lennox Rhaburn, 21 years old Belizean labourer of Gristock Street Orange walk Town was arrested for robbery." , this time the incident o

MOE And BRC At Odds, Catholic Managements Want Parents To Buy Books
There have been concerns raised at our news room surrounding text books for infant one and two students. According to several parents they are now being required by schools to buy a few of the text books that the students use. On September eight, the Ministry of Education issued a memorandum on the matter. We have been able to get a copy of that memo in which general managers of primary schools are told that parents are NOT to be required to purchase text books.The memo further explains that under the National Textbook Program textbooks are provided for primary school students at no cost to parents. It goes on to say that the Ministry decided not to purchase the BRC Infant I and II Readers and workbooks for the school year starting in September this year because BRC has refused to quote, “adequately respond to repeated requests by the Ministry for BRC to make improvements to the content quality and format of the BRC Reading Series. Furthermore, BRC unilaterally increased the number of individual books in the series. This change in particular, created a mismatch with copies of the BRC books already in the schools.”

Africanized Bees Attack In Corozal One Man Is Killed
On Monday April 15th, 2013, Africanized bees attacked and stung four persons in Little Belize in the Corozal District. Two young boys, 4 and 5, were stung during the attack. The four year old died after he was viciously stung by more than 500 bees. Over the weekend a 66 year old man from the Village of Paraiso in the Corozal District suffered the same faith as the four year old after he was attacked by a swarm of killer bees and was stung multiple times. Reporter Victor Castillo has that story. Victor Castillo – Reporting On Saturday September 13th, 66 year old Gilberto Manzanilla, a resident of Paraiso Village in the Corozal District met a painful death after he accidentally rode into a swarm of Africanized killer bees and was stung multiple times while coming back from his farm located in the outskirts of Paraiso.

LOVE FM

Health Ministry Sends Home Two Contracted Workers
Love News has confirmed Harry Sabal was fired as the Administrator of the Dangriga Primary Health Care Clinic. Sabal was named in an Auditor General report that revealed misappropriation of public funds. Sabal was officially handed his walking papers on last week Friday. Chief Executive Officer, in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Peter Allen, spoke to Love News about Sabal’s termination. DR. PETER ALLEN “Indeed the ministry was advised by the office of the solicitor general to terminate Mr. Sabal’s employment on the basis of the allegations made in the auditor general’s report. Of course the auditor general’s report has only just been received by us Mr. Sabal has not had the opportunity to review it or to respond to the allegations therein but the solicitor general’s department when they were able to review the report and evidence thought there was sufficient evidence for termination which we immediately did. Mr. Sabal was on a contract so that was allowable in the opinion of the solicitor general in the terms of his employment. I am really not at liberty to discuss any of the details. The auditor general’s report contained allegations and of course Mr. Sabal will be able to respond to them in time. Simply that based on the advice of the Solicitor General we went ahead and terminated the employment in this instance.”

Reggae Street in Need of Attention
Belize City Mayor Darrell Bradley holds the record for the most street cemented in Belize with over a hundred streets already paved but there are much more streets in Belize City and a resident of Reggae Street is upset at what seems to be a neglect of their area and street which are filled with craters. According to Dennis Wright, the City Council has refused to work on the street. DENNIS WRIGHT “You could look at that right there and you already know when it starts raining what will happen. But I will tell you how I feel like they are taking advantage of us because we have to buy parts so much for our cars especially when you jump off of the climb sometimes the bottom of my vehicle touches. If I show them the underside of my vehicle no one will help me. Now my problem is they always talk badly about south side and I could see why no minister lives on south side. Automatically they disrespect me. No minister lives on Southside that is why they don’t care about this area.”

Young Woman Claims Abuse By GSU Head
Tonight we can tell you that there is an ongoing police investigation into the alleged misconduct of the head of the Gang Suppression Unit, Inspector Mark Flowers. The alleged misconduct occurred over this past Sunday on Wilson Street and involved two young women, a firearm and Flowers. Love News understands that a 19-year-old Tamera McFoy was walking in the company of a female friend heading to her grandmother’s house on Wilson Street when they were allegedly approached by Inspector Flowers. TAMRA MCFOY “I was coming from my mom’s house, Ms. Gina McFoy, going on to my grandma’s house where I live, with one of my best friends. Then we saw one of our friends up the street whose birthday was the day before so she asked us where her birthday gift is. We told her she looks nice and we started talking. When I saw her coming I saw a pick up following them but the pick up was going upstop and I didn’t pay it any mind. The pick up stopped and the man came out of the vehicle and started chasing the kids so then he took one of the children and he shook them up roughly; I said, ‘Mister, you don’t have to do that, why are you acting that way.

No Replacement Named For Albert Tucker
Albert Tucker, the former Ambassador for Foreign Trade and Head International Cooperation for the Government of Belize, passed away on April 10 in Jamaica. Tucker was also the Chair of the Belize National Reparations Commission-a body that forms part of CARICOM’s initiative to pursue reparative justice for enslavement of Africans and genocidal wrongdoing against the native population. Tucker was leading the movement in Belize but since his death a replacement has not been named. That duty falls on Prime Minister Dean Barrow, who was urged by members of the commission to appoint a Chair post-haste, during a press conference held yesterday. Marvin Mora and Myrna Manzanares addressed the media on the matter. MARVIN MORA “We call on the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition as a tribute to the hard work and passionate commitment of our late friend and mentor ambassador Albert Tucker to decisively nominate and appoint a lead commissioner to take up the mantle and follow up on the work of the ambassador had so reverently been pursuing. We are requesting that you do this process so that as a people whose ancestors were subjected to some of the same colonial crimes of genocide and inhumane enslavement and whose descendants continue to experience social inequality, impoverishment and cultural dismemberment today as part of the continuation of wrongs committed against our ancestors centuries and generations ago we have an opportunity to have our collective voices heard and that our message to you all is emphatic.”

Foot and Mouth Disease: Belize Proves Proactive
A three day workshop spearheaded by the animal health department of the Belize Agricultural Health Authority began today. The focus is on foot and mouth disease. Dr. Miguel de Paz spoke to the media about the importance of the event. MIGUEL DE PAZ “We have representatives from different organizations and stakeholders assisting the workshop and in that sense we would like to train everybody to be prepared in the event of an outbreak of this devastating disease. This disease would have trade impact, food security impact, production losses and economic losses. Presently Belize is free of the disease , nevertheless it is a threat because you have some countries in which the disease is prevalent and as you may know in one overnight you could have the introduction of the disease either by a livestock being imported into Belize or through the importation of meats . So it is a threat and we need to be prepared in the event this disease should come in to Belize. The workshop lasts 3 days. In fact we started yesterday and it is being financed by the IDB and the FAO and we also have technical assistance from the FAO and PAHO. The objective is that then, we at the end of the training would have a procedural manual to follow so that we could respond in the most effective way to control or contain the disease if it were to enter Belize and at the same time you want to identify weaknesses and strengths and focus on the weaknesses and convert those weaknesses into strengths. This disease has never been reported in Belize, in the past it had been reported in Mexico and the United States and the disease does exist in Southern American countries.”

Custom Officers Equipped For Ozone Layer Protection
The Ozone Unit in the Ministry of the Environment today hosted an open house as part of activities in observance of International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer. The event was held under the theme Ozone Layer Protection: The Mission Goes On. The purpose of the celebration is to highlight the fact that there have been many successes in the battle to save the Ozone layer. Chief Environmental Officer, Department of the Environment, Martin Alegria shared the focus of the initiative. MARTIN ALEGRIA “Today we are celebrating the World Environment Ozone Protection Day. It is a day that is celebrated annually in honoring the efforts the global community has done in protecting the ozone layer. In Belize we have been doing it for the past five years at least as far as I can remember and it’s a day we take to recognize the partners we have Belize who have been working with us, The National Ozone Unit in the Department of the Environment towards celebrating this success story. I think the ozone protection program has been one of the success stories in global environmental management. It’s a success story because of the partnerships that governments have built with private sector, with stakeholders, the refrigeration technicians for example. So it is something that we need to acknowledge and recognize key players as we celebrate this day today. Ozone depleting substances as we call them ate ODS’s. They were discovered back in the late 70s and early 1980s.

Judge Says OW Town Council Must Pay
Earlier this year, De-Mar’s Construction Company of Orange Walk Town, belonging to Denny Grijalva filed a lawsuit against the Orange Walk Town Council after Mayor Kevin Bernard made the decision in 2012 to not honor a payment owed to the company by the council. Today a decision was handed down on the matter in the Supreme Court of Belize. Here is that decision, explained by attorney for De-Mar’s Construction Company, Darrell Bradley. Mayor Darrell Bradley “The decision was this morning. Alifa Elrington was in court taking the decision, I was in another court but essentially what the defendants, The Orange Walk Town Council were saying from the very beginning is that they do not dispute that the work was actually done. They actually took a series of technical defenses that the then mayor of Orange Walk did not have the authority to enter the contract, that the seal, certain issues in relation to the seal being a fix to the contract and certain things like that so the defense was always technical and we put up a technical response to say that well if you were dealing with the person who is the Chief Executive Officer of the Towns, it is different when you are dealing with Belize City.

China’s Youth Ambassadors End Tour at Bliss
The 2014 Youth Ambassadors from the Republic of China Taiwan ended their world tour with a performance at the Bliss center for the performing Arts on Monday night. On hand was Ambassador Benjamin Ho. Ambassador of Taiwan Benjamin Ho ‘They want to be promoters of culture exchange. This is the reason why I have already promised to welcome our newest ambassador delegates from Taiwan. They are coming here not only to present their talent and they just want to share the joy of the people of Belize because their performance tonight is one of the programs on the Celebration list for Independence Day. When our friends are celebrating their regional day we also want to share your joys.” David Nan Yang Lee, Ambassador for the Institute of Diplomacy and International Affairs is leading the delegation.

Young Gill Takes Motivation to Dangriga
Visiting motivational speaker, Anthony Gill, was in Dangriga this morning where he addressed a number of students. Correspondent Harry Arzu reports. Harry Arzu “12 year old Anthony Gabrouel Gill started his career in 2006. This motivational speaker captured the hearts and attention of many of his peers at an event held today at the BTL Princess Royal park here in Dangriga. A large number of primary school students from the various primary schools here were in attendance who expressed their admiration for the young inspirational speaker. His mother Elizabeth Gill spoke with Love News.” Anthony Gill “He actually started reading fully at age two and a half and he became a motivational speaker at the age of four after becoming the valedictorian for his preschool graduation at the Marcus Garvey preschool in Los Angeles California. He has become a paid motivational speaker and the youngest paid motivational speaker throughout Southern California as of age 6 which was in 2008.

Floods Urge NEMO Toledo to Activate
The need for NEMO Toledo to be activated was a necessity and effective over the weekend as explained by Toledo NEMO Coordinator Kenton Param. Kenton Parham “NEMO has been activated since Saturday morning about three thirty and since then we’ve remained activated and in operations throughout the weekend up until today it is still going. What happened about Saturday morning we received a call from Blue Creek informing us that there was flooding in the district in the Blue Creek area and that they needed assistance so we immediately dispatched the BDF to go out there and followed both housing and shelter relief supplies and transport and evacuation. We got the situation under control, we ended up assessing about seventeen families that needed support and as a result of that the relief supplies management committee provided those seventeen families with a week’s supply of food and cleaning items to get back into their homes that were flooded. Currently we are working on getting the damage assessment team out to Blue Creek to do an assessment on the farms now.” Param also confirmed that flooding has now been reported in Big Falls and San Miguel Villages.

Chikungunya Detected Next Door to Belize
Eight cases of chikungunya have been confirmed by health authorities in the central city of Escuintla, in neighboring Guatemala. Guatemala has become the second Central American country after El Saldavor, to have confirmed case of the disease and health officials in that country believe that the disease made its way from El Salvador into Guatemala. Belize Health officials have been placed on alert and according to the CEO in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Peter Allen, the Ministry is keeping an eye on the matter. CEO, M.O.H Dr. Peter Allen “The issue of Chickungunya is a very serious concern to the Ministry. As you know, it is a disease, a virus that is carried by the same vector that carries Dengue, the Aedes Egypti mosquito and the Aedes Egypti Mosquito is prevalent in our population in our country so we are extremely concerned about Chickungunya and doing everything we can to heighten our vector control activities around the country.”

Plans for National Colonial Museum Criticized Harshly
The social media has seen, in the last few days, the objections and harsh criticisms of a project that was announced on September 10 by the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation, Manuel Heredia Jr. that involved taking the House of Culture on Regent Street in Belize City and turning it into a cultural museum. One of the comments stated that it was a National “Colonial” Museum – ‘Colonial’ being one of the points of contention. Cultural activist and artist, Yasser Musa, posted on his social media timeline, saying, “The proposed National Colonial Museum by the government is mentally sick. It is a retrograde, racist and disturbing development. I urge the President of NICH, the directors of ISCR and Archaeology to take a public stand against such a wasteful and disrespectful regal minded program.” Adding that, “I suggest that some of that $14 million be spent on renovating the historic Liberty Hall on Barrack Road and convert it to a modern Museum of African heritage with a component for technology so that youths can engage in productive acts of creativity and instead of blowing away all the money in Belize City, I propose that a Museum of Natural History and Botanical Garden be built in Belmopan near the University and George Price Center so that citizens, students and tourists too can experience the scientific knowledge about this land.” Musa continued, saying, “Also I suggest investments be made in grassroots recording studios and have the youths involved in the “robust community, oral history program. Finally I call on the opposition to reject this project for its rank disrespect to our resistance heritage.” It is quite a strong mouthful against the project, which is being funded by the Embassy of Taiwan on the Republic of China. We asked the Belize City Mayor Darrell Bradley to weigh in on this as he does sit on the Steering Committee formed to oversee the 14-million dollar project.

Princess Diana Award Bestowed on Young Belizean Woman
The International Diana Award was created in 2011 and is a prestigious award that recognizes and celebrates the work of young people who have made a selfless contribution to society. One young Belizean is the recipient of the award this year. We hear more in this report from correspondent Angelica Cruz. ANGELICA CRUZ “BNE Energy for Life program held a prestigious award ceremony this afternoon at the BNE compound in Spanish Lookout for an outstanding graduate of Eden High School, 18-year-old, Claudia Garcia, who was awarded with the International Diana Award by the British High Commissioner, His Excellency Peter Hughes. Albert Roches, President of the Energy for Life tells us a little bit about the program and what the award means to the organization.”

PlusTV

24 year old man found decapitated in Spanish Lookout area
San Ignacio Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of 24 year old Pedro Ariel Diaz, whose lifeless body was found sometime around 4:00 on Saturday evening near Spanish Lookout. According to reports, police visited an area in the Duck Run 3 Area, San Ignacio, where they foun...

Another man murdered in San Pedro
San Pedro Police have one person detained, in connection with the death of 31 year old Moses Coc. According to reports, Moses Coc, a Belizean Salesman of San Pedro Town, was walking on Swan Street along with a friend at 10 o’ clock on Saturday night...

KHMH re-opens Intensive Care Units
The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital was the center of scandal in May of 2013, when it was reported that an unusually high number of premature babies - 13 boys and girls - had died in less than three weeks...

Man attacked and killed by Africanized Bees
A man was attacked and killed by Africanized Bees. The incident happened on Saturday morning in the village of Paraiso in the Corozal District. According to police,  66-year-old Gilberto Manzanilla, a naturalized Belizean of Paraiso Village, Corozal District, was riding his bicycle on a street near ...

Minister of Health comments on stolen vehicles ; saddened
A fourth vehicle was recently reported stolen from the Ministry of Health, and specifically from its own offices in the East Block of the National Assembly.  A white Toyota Hilux was taken over the St. George’s Caye Day holiday, after being parked on September 9. It is a worry for the Ministry, and...

Titan Securities executives charged, wanted by U.S.
Bahamian finance executives 29 year old Rohn Knowles and 34 year old Kelvin Leach were picked up by authorities at the Philip Goldson International Airport on Friday, while trying to leave the country...

Carnival weekend was safe apart from firearm discharge
According to Police, Carnival weekend was safe for residents and visitors to Belize City. The Police Department flexed its manpower from across the country into Belize City with some degree of success as reported by press officer Raphael Martinez. Raphael Martinez - Press Officer, Belize Police Depa...

National Security and Immigration Committee meets over Firearm Act
The National Security and Immigration committee chaired by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Human Development met on Monday at the committee room in the National Assembly building where they held consultations with organizations and members of the public who wished to make contributions for ...

UDP Endorsement Rally held for PG municipal slate
On  Sunday, September 14th, several hundred supporters of the United Democratic Party gathered in Punta Gorda Town, for the endorsement of the team that will contest next year’s municipal elections. The event was held at the Corner of Cemetery and West Streets, on one of the recently paved roads.G...

Dangriga Clinic Administrator fired
PlusTV has been reliably informed that Harry Sabal, the embattled Administrator of the Dangriga Primary Health Care Clinic, has been handed his marching papers. Harry Sabal, a former Town Councillor under the current administration, has been administrating the Clinic for some time now...

SCA to float bonds for multi-purpose center
On Wednesday of last week, St. Catherine Academy in Belize City, in conjunction with the Heritage Bank and Legacy Fund, began to float what it calls “Mercy Bonds”, named for the Catholic order Sisters of Mercy, which manages the school. The all-female educational institution intends to raise some $2...

Patriotic Poetry Competition in Belmopan
On Friday, the Belmopan September Celebration’s committee partnered with Kerasi’s Restaurant to have the First annual Patriotic poetry competition. The event was opened to the general public but contained only members of the Belmopan Comprehensive high school. Jacqueline Burns - Literature Teach...

Healthy Body Healthy Nation’s Health Fair in Belmopan
As part of the September Celebrations, the Belmopan City Council’s Celebrations Committee,  in collaboration with the Police Recruits, organized  a Health Fair this Saturday. To kick off this event, 54 athletes  participated in a  5K race, which started from the Daker’s Parking Lot, and conclude...

Amandala

Uncle Sam wants Bahamians from Titan International Securities
Two Bahamian nationals for whom the US Southern District Court in New York has issued an indictment for money laundering, tax evasion and securities fraud, were arraigned in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court on a charge of “failure to declare funds when leaving Belize” by the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) this morning. The men were released on bail, but before they left the courtroom to sign the bail release forms, they were rearrested by police on the strength of a provisional arrest warrant pending an extradition request from the United States. In the matter of the FIU charges, the two accused men, Rhon Knowles, 29, and Kevin Leach, 34, who are residents at the Renaissance Towers in the Newtown Barracks area of Belize City, pleaded not guilty to one count each of “failure to declare funds when leaving Belize” when they appeared before Magistrate Dale Cayetano. The court prosecutor objected to bail on the grounds that the accused men are flight risks and if granted bail, they will most likely flee from the jurisdiction of the court.

Paul Morgan, 42, aka Paul Rubio, shot dead
The only weekend murder that was recorded in Belize City took place on Friday, September 12, at about 8:00 p.m. when a laborer of a Mahogany Heights address was gunned down as he sat with a female companion inside a vehicle at the corner of Tigris and King Streets on the Southside of the city. Police said that Paul Rubio Morgan, 42, who resided in Mahogany Heights at Mile 31 on the George Price Highway, was sitting in the passenger side of a vehicle which was parked near the corner of Tigris and King Streets when he was approached by a lone gunman, who fired several shots at him. While Morgan’s female friend was unhurt, he was shot in the neck and eye, and was later pronounced dead on arrival at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. Police Superintendent Hilberto Romero, Head of the Eastern Division Crimes Investigation Branch (CIB), told us today that so far, investigators have recorded several statements, but have not been able to establish a clear motive for Morgan’s execution.

Belize on Obama’s list for drug trafficking
US President Barack Obama today released via memo his Presidential Determination of Major Drug Transit or Major Illicit Drug Producing Countries for Fiscal Year 2015, listing Belize among 22 countries. “A country’s presence on the foregoing list is not a reflection of its government’s counter-narcotics efforts or level of cooperation with the United States. Consistent with the statutory definition of a major drug transit or drug producing country set forth in section 481(e)(2) and (5) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended (FAA), the reason major drug transit or illicit drug producing countries are placed on the list is the combination of geographic, commercial, and economic factors that allow drugs to transit or be produced, even if a government has carried out the most assiduous narcotics control law enforcement measures,” Obama’s memo said.

Cop busted with weed, contraband liquor
A Belize City cop and a Benque Viejo mason have been remanded to the Belize Central Prison until October 15 on charges of drug trafficking after they were busted with 1,728 grams (about 3.8 pounds) of weed and contraband liquor. Benque police said that they were conducting an anti-crime patrol at about 8:00 Tuesday night along the banks of the Mopan River in Benque Viejo when they saw two men coming from the riverside with some plastic bags. When the two men saw police, they dropped the bags and tried to run, but police quickly captured them and took them back to the spot where they had left the bags. Police said that they identified Virgil Perez as a police constable, and the other man as Melvin Ruiz, 36, a mason of Benque Viejo del Carmen. The bags were inspected in their presence and were allegedly found to contain a case of contraband Black Label rum and a case of contraband vodka, along with 1,728 grams of weed in a smaller bag.

CIBC Dangriga manager transferred, but not suspended
Glen Smith, country manager for CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank in Belize, confirmed to Amandala this evening that the manager of the bank’s Dangriga branch has been transferred but not suspended, pending the outcome of the bank’s investigations into reports that Garifuna staff at that branch were fettered in the use of their native language. Amandala received reports that Roxan Bowen of Jamaica, who has been heading the Dangriga branch, has been temporarily removed from that position, and Smith told us that Arlette Trapp will be holding over, since Bowen, who will work on “projects,” has not been permanently reassigned. Meanwhile, Dangriga Mayor, Gilbert Swaso told Amandala tonight that a coalition is seeking legal counsel with the view of exploring legal recourse for what he deems to be a discriminatory policy which, if tolerated, could impact all ethnic groups in Belize who speak a language other than English.

MCC Grounds should be ready for year’s end: NSC
The MCC Grounds, which over the years has been the primary sporting venue for Belize City residents, football fans in particular, has been closed since this past June pending renovation works that were initially scheduled to be complete by the beginning of last month. Those upgrades are scheduled to include the surveying and leveling of the field, in addition to the planting of seeds for high quality grass. But while we understand that the works on the field have not yet concluded because the grass has not yet fully grown, National Sports Director, Patrick Henry, informed the media today that the proposed improvements to the football field and its general amenities are expected to be finished by this December. He said, “[Presently], the grass is growing, but it takes a process and we must say that the rain came along at the correct time, and as a result, it is growing at a faster pace. While the grass is growing, we are working on the towers; there will be four towers and each tower will be 47.5 feet high. Those towers will replace the existing lampposts, and on each tower there will be 15 lights, 3 sets of five, so at the end there will be a total of 60 lights. Currently, we have about 20 lights here at the MCC grounds on these posts, so the lights, the brightness of the lights, will be by far greater than what we currently have.”

Extortion case collapses: one witness refused to testify, and another couldn’t be found
A police special constable who has been on interdiction since last December, when he was charged with two counts of extortion, walked out of the Belize City Magistrate’s Court cleared of the charges today. On Tuesday, September 9, a police Special Constable, Dayton Sacasa, 42, took the defendant’s seat in the courtroom of Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith for the beginning of his extortion case. Sacasa was represented by attorney Anthony Sylvestre, and the case for the prosecution was being presented by attorney Danielle Hawke, who heads the Belize Police Department Prosecution Branch. The allegation against Sacasa, who is originally from Dangriga, is that on December 18, 2013, when he was posted at the Queen Street Police Station cell block, he extorted monies from two detainees.

Anchor security guard remanded for unlicensed firearm and ammo
Leroy Selgado, an Anchor security guard whom police busted with a firearm, pleaded not guilty to possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition when he was arraigned before Magistrate Dale Cayetano this morning. Due to the nature of the charges, Cayetano remanded Selgado, 40, to prison until his next court date on September 30, 2014. Selgado, a resident of Tropical Park, located on the George Price Highway, was busted on Tuesday, September 9, at Garden Building, where he was posted as a security guard.

Rained out FFB Women President’s Cup resumes September 27-28
Due to weather conditions, no games were played over the past weekend in the FFB Women President’s Cup 2014 tournament. The competition breaks for the Independence weekend, and the matches postponed from yesterday, September 13, will now be played on the weekend of September 27-28. Revised schedule: Saturday, September 27 3:00 p.m. – Smart Millennium vs Sugar City Girls – Ladyville Football Field Sunday, September 28 4:00 p.m. – Toledo Girls vs Dangriga Pumas – Toledo Union Field

Sagitun of Independence wins FFB President’s Cup 2014
Game 2 of the home-and-away championship series for the FFB President’s Cup 2014 was a 3-3 draw on Saturday night in Independence, giving home standing Sagitun the aggregate 6-5 victory, as they had taken Game 1 over San Antonio FC by a 3-2 margin back on August 31 at the Ricalde Stadium in Corozal Town. Game 2 was postponed from the previous Saturday, September 6, due to weather, and this allowed Sagitun’s Delone Torres, who was in the U.S. with the National “A” Team at the Central American Cup, to return home in time for the critical Game 2 this past Saturday night, September 13. In Saturday night’s return match at the Michael Ashcroft Stadium in Independence, the home team Sagitun jumped out to a commanding 3-nil lead, with goals from Delone Torres (10’ & 17’) and Rollin Burgess (25’); but visiting San Antonio FC came back strong with goals from Christian Pena (42’), Alexander Innis (54’) and Ian Daniels (88’) to secure a 3-3 draw, but it still wasn’t enough. Sagitun held on till the final whistle, thus claiming the aggregate 6-5 victory and the championship.

Editorial: Young, black males
Gyration in a simulation of the sex act is not dance, which is a highly disciplined art form. Such gyration in public cannot be considered “talent,” unless one is visualizing the gyration as a commodity in the sex industry. It is still a well-kept secret in Belize that a thriving sex industry contributes to the financial success of a modern tourist industry. Carnival in Belize is now almost four decades old. It is an established showpiece of our September celebrations, which are built around the Tenth of September (1798) Battle of St. George’s Caye and our September 21st (1981) Independence Day. A couple decades or so ago, some complaints began amongst the general Belizean citizenry with respect to the public gyrations of girl children in the Carnival, but negative comment about the behavior of Carnival’s young ladies and adult women is so muted these days as to be practically non-existent.

From the Publisher
I was born and raised in Belize City during the rule of British colonialism. Apart from three years studying in the United States and brief trips there and travelling through Mexico, I’ve spent my entire life in Belize City and surrounds. I grew up as an NIP supporter because the Guatemalan general/president, Ydigoras Fuentes, was threatening to invade Belize, and Philip Goldson became the voice of Belizean resistance. Amidst all the oppression and repression which were colonialism, there were Belizean expressions in sports and culture which fired our Belizean imagination and made us confident and happy. I would say the Dunlop football team, the first Lord Rhaburn Combo, the original Messengers, and the Independence football team were positive experiences for roots Belizeans in the late 1950s and through the 1960s. One of the characteristics of these Belizean expressions which I have just arbitrarily cited are that they each only lasted for a few years. The greatness of Gerald Rhaburn lies in the fact that he was always able to rebuild and restructure. Remember, early on he lost the great Pete Matthews to the Messengers, and then Pablo Clarke, Prof Drummond and others from his original combo split for America.

Letters: Re: Princess Royal Youth Hostel youth basketball leagues
Your analysis of one of the root causes of the crime and violence on the Southside of Belize in your “From the Publisher’s” column of 7th September, 2014 was timely and on point. Indeed as I was reading your column, there was a news flash of another Southside youth being gunned down. The lack of competitive sports as a positive outlet for our youth is causing the “savagery” we are witnessing in our Southside, as pointed out in a previous editorial in the Amandala. I recall coaching an Under-14 and Under-17 basketball team from Queen’s Square in the PRYH basketball league in the 1994 and 1995 seasons. This was thanks to the late Juliet Soberanis, who sponsored the teams and who was the PUP standard bearer for Queen’s Square, having contested the 1993 general elections in that constituency against Hon. Dean Barrow. The games were held in the evenings at the then PRYH compound and basketball court (now the Maud Williams High School) on Dolphin and Racoon Streets adjacent to the Racoon Street Police Station. Imagine, youths from all over the city converging at one spot, at night and there were no incidences of violence or reprisals.

Historic $2.85 mil bond launched by SCA for multi-purpose building
St. Catherine Academy this morning launched a historic educational bond, valued at BZ$2.85 million, to finally realize a long-held dream of constructing a two-storey multipurpose center where it can host sporting and cultural events, apart from providing space for two new classrooms and a cafeteria for its 700 students. SCA principal Salome Tillett said that the school got official permission to construct the building in 2004, and 10 years later, they are still trying to raise adequate funds for its construction. According to Tillett, architect Gustavo Guerra has been hired to finalize the plans for the new building. She said that the steel frame will be imported from Britain, and construction works are planned for the end of October 2014. Piles have already been driven onsite with an initial investment of $200,000.

Pantempters aim to impress at LAC Culture Festival in Taiwan
By popular demand, the Pantempters Steel Orchestra leaves Belize on Tuesday, September 16, 2014, to participate in the 2014 Latin American and Caribbean Culture Festival in Taiwan, slated for September 18 to 25, 2014. “I think the Belize orchestra will be very unique,” said H.E. Benjamin Ho, Ambassador for Taiwan to Belize. “We don’t get that kind of entertainment in Taiwan,” Ho added. The Ambassador said that the Pantempers will perform alongside cultural groups from countries like Argentina and Guatemala at the event organized by Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The group had participated in a similar festival for Latin America and the Caribbean back in November 2012. Therese Martinez, managing director and a founder of the band, said that for the group, now in its 22nd year of existence, the second invitation to the festival is unprecedented and no other group has been invited to the festival twice.

Patrick Jones

Denny Grijalva to recover debt from O.W. Town Council
In July of this year, businessman, pastor and political candidate Denny Grijalva took the Orange Walk Town Council to court. Grijalva’s company, De-Mar’s Stone Construction Limited, was hired by the former UDP-majority Town Council to pave several streets in the town and charged them $188,000 – and that […]

Belize attacks issue of ozone layer destroyers
Most Belizeans have a refrigerator or air conditioning unit in their homes or offices – occasionally both. But few know that the gases used to power these modern luxuries can be harmful to them – and to their environment. Since the 1980s countries have worked together to address […]

Protected area reportedly mapped out for house lots
Government authorities have been tight-lipped about a proposed housing project in North Ambergris Caye – forty acres for house lots to residents of the island. The trouble is, that the area in question known as Sunset Cove, was supposed to have been part of an expanded Hol Chan […]

Stamps exhibition opens in Orange Walk
An exhibit titled “Stamps of Belize” opened on Monday at the Banquitas House of Culture. It’s a one of a kind collection and past time for two family members of the Urbina family in Orange Walk Town, namely Rainaldo Urbina Jr and Elito Urbina Sr. What started as […]

Attorney requests disclosure in Corozal murder case
Corozal resident Ryan Jones appeared in the Magistrate’s Court today and his attorney Michael Peyrifitte made a request for disclosure. Ryan Jones is accused of the January 2, 2014 murder of his father Hensley “Nick” Jones. The 53 year old businessman was shot multiple times to the head […]

UDP endorses Town Council slate in Orange Walk
The United Democratic Party (UDP) has endorsed its slate of candidates to contest the Town Council elections in Orange Walk. Yvette Torres is the Mayoral candidate. Joining Torres on the slate are: Shantel Casimiro, Perla Pasos, Yahaira Vega, Roberto Hoare, Louigie Gomez and Aldo Vasquez. The endorsement of the UDP Town Council slate was done on September 10 at the People’s Stadium.

Belize: The State Of The Nation
Today, on the eve of our 33rd year of INDEPENDENCE…. I kneel in service to deliver the STATE OF THE NATION address. Instead of dealing with all and sundry, gifts and glory, today I take off my gloves to try to deal a death blow with the little strength I have left….to only ONE, but principal among the obstacles to the development of my country and people….who, deep in my heart of hearts, I believe aspire to greater INDEPENDENCE. 33 years ago, all the citizens of BELIZE pledged allegiance to serve the best interest of an INDEPENDENT nation among all free nations of the world….free from the shackles of colonial dominance and control….and to carve a new and more promising way for the greater and more rapid development of ALL its people. HIP HIP HURRAY!!

Blogs

Selling San Pedro’s Wetlands: The Questions…The Problems…The Questions and The Problems
We were in fact, seeing the last 40 acres of a 600 acre development that has been parceled out for quite a few years – called Sunset Cove. A great name for an assisted living community. (And trust me – these owners will need assistance.) That last 40 acres is an estimated 600 lots. All mangrove and water. From about the Las Terrazas area to the road that leads out to Grand Belizean Estates. What made this last 40 acres something interesting? Something that the news would want to go visit? The insane fact that even though this land has no fresh water, no electricity, no sewage system available, practically no way to get there unless you have a boat and a long stick – it’s not even LAND.

Altun Ha: Water of the Rock
Once a major archaeological site, Altun Ha is the home of Belize’s famous Jade Head and is close in proximity to Belize City. The site covers an area of about 5 miles and the ruins of the structures had their stones reused for residential construction of the agricultural village of Rockstone Pond in modern times. The largest of Altun Ha’s temple is the “Temple of the Masonry Altars” which is 54 feet high and the drawing of this structure is the official logo of Belize’s leading brand of beer “Belkin”.

Staying at Xanadu Island Resort: A Luxury Paradise in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize
As a long term backpacker and veteran of more dingy hostels than you could count, the flash packer in me comes out now and again and I’ll admit it’s a new phenomenon! Partly inspired by my travelling girlfriend Panny as her slow and relaxing style competes with my “be busy, do something every day, chill out later” attitude. I sometimes need a luxury spot to recharge my batteries before hitting the next bit of hardcore travelling. I found a paradise yet again when I took my backpack to San Pedro in Belize and specifically Xanadu Island Resort. If you haven’t already seen my Facebook uploads from my time here, read on, and admire the photos…this place is something really really special! Xanadu Island Resort is a luxury paradise which has been voted the BEST hotel in Belize for the last 4 years on Trip Advisor!! Quite frankly, if you are ever going to splash out on a night of luxury, then Xanadu is the place. In San Pedro it is second to none and it would be hard for any resort in the whole of Belize to better what Xanadu Island Resort provides.

Integrating the Caribbean and Central America
The Central American Integration System (SICA) was formed in 1991 and is a regional organization which includes the States of Belize, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama. This alliance was formed with the purpose of enhancing integration for the cohesion on sensitive issues such as poverty, democracy, freedom and trade. According to SICA’s mandate, one of the purposes of SICA is to “promote, in a harmonious and balanced way, the sustained economic, social, cultural and political development of Member States and the region as a whole.”

International Sources

The State’s Secret: Belize’s Money Laundering Regime
Nestled on the northeastern coast of Central America, Belize is often named one of Central America’s most beautiful vacation destinations. With its ornate coral reefs and rainforest, the small English-speaking country has plenty to offer for tourists looking for tropical adventures. Yet, Belize is rapidly becoming known to the international community for attracting many drug trafficking organizations known for transporting marijuana and cocaine into North America. Since the country’s currency is conveniently pegged to the U.S. dollar, Belize also offers nonresidents the opportunity to run offshore accounts. Money laundering has become a prime form of funding for many criminal organizations. As a result, the United States Department of State has recently named Belize one of the world’s “major money laundering countries.”1 One might ask, “Are all poor countries more open to private investment?” No. However, in nations like Belize, there is a greater problem of overall government mismanagement, which can lead to illegal private investments typically going unnoticed or unpunished by government officials. According to the U.S. State Department, Belize has a complete catalogue of rules and regulations that should be serving the purpose of monitoring various government investments. These regulations include such measures as the Fiscal Incentives Act, Export Incentives Act, the Export Processing Zone Act, Commercial Free Zone Act, International Business Companies Act, the Trusts Act, Offshore Banking Act, and theGaming Act and Companies Act, which “offer some attractive incentives to investors, but in practice these incentives are often not realized.”2 This means that while Belize has taken measures to prevent underground ventures from happening, its constituents are failing to realize the power of the current laws and the potential negative consequences of not adhering to them. Hence, this shows the vulnerability of the state and highlights the money laundering issues facing Belize.

Rick Eager proves that "fish farming" isn't a bad word
So until the Palmetto State catches up, Eager has cast his net wide. He's on the board of an indoor shrimp farm in Florida and consults with prospective farmers near and far, sharing his environmentally sensitive approach. He is the biologist in charge and minor owner of a fish farm six miles off the coast of Belize; the farm plans to build 30 net pens and produce about 800,000 pounds of skin-on filet to ship on ice via Fedex to U.S. restaurants. Eager says his filtration is excellent with 1.1 meters per second flowing through his pens, carrying any waste down into a deep ocean trench. According to Eager, what he's doing stateside, doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. "Seafood is a global commodity. In order to understand the global market, I need to track anchovies in Chile, shrimp consumption in China. Anything less than 1,000 tons doesn't count. What I do here in South Carolina doesn't count. The two million pounds I'll raise in Belize won't even make a ripple. But if I replicate it 20 times..." Which means that as long as Rick Eager has his hand in a pond, there is hope for a clean and green aquaculture future.

Thumbs up, thumbs down for Downers Grove
Thumbs up to Downers Grove South senior Elizabeth Kazmierczak for participating in a Earth Watch teen expedition in Belize this summer, getting a first-hand look at how over-fishing sharks for their dorsal fins has led to dwindling numbers of some species. During her time in Belize, Kazmierczak helped lay Baited Remote Underwater Video Stations (BRUVS) on the ocean floor, and checked various shark lines, cataloging, tagging and releasing the animals. Kazmierczak will begin applying to colleges this fall, and we wish her the best in all her future environmental science studies.

Videos

Video: Jeff + Katie, 15min.
Video by: Island Films. Location: Coco Beach Resort, Ambergris Caye, Belize

Video: La Isla Bonita Telenovela - Trailer - English Subtitles, 1.5min.

Video: Carole Jahme in Belize observing Spider Monkeys, 5min.
at Runway Creek, Belize

Video: Sweet Honey in the Rock Belize Tour Highlights [US Embassy Arts Envoy Program], 10min.

Video: Samenvatting webinar met Nadia Bood oceanen expert Belize, 13min.
Een samenvatting van de bijeenkomst waar we een live verbinding hadden met Nadia bood uit Belize tijdens een WNF Open. Tijdens deze webinar konden mensen vragen stellen over de werkzaamheden in het koraalherstelproject. SHOW MORE

Video: Diving in San Pedro - Belize, 2min.
Molti la chiamano la Isla Bonita, per me è un posto bellissimo per chiunque ami fare immersioni, non solo al Blue Hole SHOW MORE

Video: Experience Ka'ana Resort, Belize , fendeq.com, 2min.

Video: Belize's Mega Fest 2014 Carnival girls, 8min.
Belize's Mega Fest 2014 in Los Angeles - here is a short clip with Belize Carnival dancers onstage at the Hollywood Park Casino Festival SHOW MORE

Video: Belize Carnival 2014, 62min.
Belize Carnival 2014 unedited.

Video: Belize -shark & stingray alley, 2min.

September 16, 2014

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Specials and Events

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

The San Pedro Sun

Moses Coc murdered during street attack
26-year-old Jermaine Moody from San Pedrito area is in custody pending investigations in the murder of 31-year-old Moses Coc. Coc received a fatal blow to the back of his head while walking on Angel Coral Street on Saturday, September 13th at around 10PM. According to an initial report, the San Pedro Quick Response Team (QRT) responded to a distress call and visited the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II where they saw Coc bleeding profusely from the back of his head. Coc succumbed to his injury and was officially pronounced dead at 11:10PM. Further investigation revealed that Coc was out socializing with friends earlier in the night. At around 10PM, Coc and one male friend were walking in the direction of Swan Street towards Angel Coral Street. According to the male friend, a man of dark complexion ambushed Coc, hitting him on the back of the head with a piece of wood that resulted in the deadly injury. The attacker escaped, but was later caught by police.

Oasis Spa: Ditching the keyboards for a day of relaxation
Oasis is one of the newer establishments in San Pedro Town. A warm invitation was extended to us by the owner, and we were more than happy to accept. So we made our way along Fido’s pier to the cute cabaña styled spa. An extensive spa menu offered everything from Swedish massages to sun burn therapy, from facials to manicures and pedicures. There is surely something there for everyone looking for a bit of rest and relaxation. I opted for a facial while my amiga Janelle looked curiously at a contraption that sat on the deck. It was a massage chair, and so she was sold! She wanted whatever package came with that! As I lay waiting for my facial, I could only think of how much I needed this; an oily complexion combined with our lovely dusty island roads, yeah- I really, REALLY needed this. Dion, my therapist for the evening, started off with a gentle cleanser, applying from the chin upwards.

Island Students show Patriotism at Youth Rally
Students from across Ambergris Caye gathered at the Angel Nuñez Auditorium on Friday, September 12th foe the Annual Youth Rally. Hosted by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, the rally is held as part of the September Celebrations and thus was celebrated under the theme “Industrious Hand, Intelligent Minds, Together for Belize”. The students enjoyed musical and dance performances as well as an inspirational speech from the newly crowned Miss San Pedro 2014-2015, Michelle Nuñez. The rally commenced with the official protocol. The San Pedro High School (SPHS) Band performed an amazing rendition of the National Anthem, complete with wind instruments. The upper division students from San Pedro Roman Catholic Primary School (SPRC) the led the crowd in the prayer of the Belize National Prayer. The program continued with SPHS student Trisha Strokes singing “My Home Land by the Sea”. Her singing was accompanied Terryil Godoy on keyboards.

Ambergris Today

Flashbacks: The Laid-back, Sandy Streets of the Fishing Village of San Pedro
A casual look at this Flashback Pic might get you wondering what part of the village in the 1970’s this could be. Or you might wonder whether this could be some other village of Belize. Could that building with a square water reservoir be the community center, now the town hall? Look at the huge hill of white sand that makes up the street- so islandish, so picturesque, so safe, so children-friendly. It’s gotta be San Pedro. Of course it is San Pedro! Why do you think Ramon Nuñez Jr. is cruising along enjoying the serenity of his village? Indeed it is that portion of Tarpon Street leading up west to the San Pedro R.C. School. Driving up that street today, you can see the sea but there is no hill of sand now. At the time there was no fence because there was no need to. On the left side of the street is Mr. Francisco and Mrs. Vilma Arceo’s humble dwelling with a typical San Pedro wood picket fence intended not to keep ‘unfriendly’ people out but to keep the chickens and the dogs in. This is the site of the once very popular The Hut Restaurant and now the Vilma Linda Plaza.

25 Years Ago: Things We Take for Granted – Speedboats
A speed boat is something that today we take for granted. Jump into a small speed boat, perhaps a mahogany skiff and in twenty minutes you are at your dive spot making deep skin dives looking for lobsters. Or perhaps you jump into your large speed boat equipped with diving gear and in forty minutes you are at the world famous Blue Hole ready to take your excited visiting divers for a breathtaking dive. Finally you might board into one of the water taxis and in one hour and twenty minutes you are already disembarking at Belize City ready to consult with your personal doctor, lawyer, or whatever business takes you to the old capital city. A speed boat is something that today we all take for granted. It is just there. But it was not always like that. Back in the 1940’s people in San Pedro had to patiently await the services of El San Roque, a cargo boat that travelled between San Pedro and Belize City mostly with coconuts for export. Later on in the 1950’s it was the Elsa P, captained by Felipe Paz, lovingly known as Tio Pil. The Elsa P took orders from two or three local business owners and sailed to Belize City shopping for the grocery stores. And because there was no other mode of transportation, passengers could get a ride to the city for 50 cents.

Pic of the Week: No Place I Rather Be
This week’s pick of the week features this beautiful traveler who is in love and waiting to reach her destination in the Cayes. As the refreshing wind blows through her gorgeous hair, she enjoys the view as the boat runs through the aquamarine waters of Belize. Picture after picture, she creates memories of her unforgettable vacation, while she sings out loud to the lyrics of Clean Bandit ft. Jess Glynne “Rather Be”

Elvi’s Kitchen Macho Burger Left Titleless
It was a bellyful of food and fun at Elvi’s Kitchen second annual Burger Challenge 2014 which took place this past Saturday, September 13, 2014, in connection with the September Patriotic Celebrations. Chef and coordinator Jenny Staines prepared the challenging menu for the competitors who came in all sizes and ages including one who flew in from the U.S. especially for the event. The burger challenge included one pound of bread, two pounds of ground meat, one pound of vegetables including onions, lettuce, and tomato all accompanied by one pound of French fries all to a total of five pounds. Elvi’s kitchen which was had a packed house expressed thanks to Belikin Beer and Traveller’s Rum for sponsoring the challenge which truly offered a bellyful of food and laughter to all competitors, clients, and staff. Congratulations to the winners and for those who won or came close to winning, there is always Elvi’s Kitchen Burger Challenge 2015 which will come bigger and better and tons of fun.

Misc Belizean Sources

Partial Scope Agreement between the Government of Belize and the Republic of Guatemala
The negotiations on the Partial Scope Agreement (PSA), between the Government of Belize and the Government of the Republic of Guatemala, were launched on November 22, 2004. Both countries signed the agreement on 26th June, 2006. In 2009, Belize deposited its Instrument of Ratification to the CARICOM Secretariat and obtained CARICOM’s approval of the Agreement and completed its internal process of ratification that year. Guatemala completed its ratification in March of 2010. With the exchange of information notifying the completion of the internal process in each country, the PSA took effect on 4th April, 2010, thirty days after Guatemala completed its internal process of ratification. This is Belize’s first negotiated bilateral trade agreement and one which takes into account the obligations to the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). This agreement has been seen as an opportunity to enhance trade and commercial relations for both countries.

Commentary: Garifuna organizations must devise a plan to deal with discrimination