Recent Belize News, 1/21/2015 to 1/31/2015, BelizeNews.com

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

The San Pedro Sun

Getting CANDY-wasted on La Isla Bonita! (Part I)
With our cart from J & H Rentals secured for the afternoon and tummies full of anticipation (and not much else) we began our great adventure to candy land! Cupcakes, doughnuts, ice cream, frozen custard, homemade sweets (AKA nostalgia), fancy desserts, thick frozen shakes…need we go on? We were well on our way to being passed out in an orgy of sugary, treacly goodness, slumbering into a blissfully sweet coma. Janelle and I had the perfect plan, a route that would take us all along the beach and downtown middle street. I intended to enjoy every bite of sugary goodness, but then as the list grew, I was apprehensive. Time to call in reinforcements, and who better than our expecting buddy Monique. With mommy-to-be on board with us, it was decided: to Ice and Beans!! Visions of doughnuts and dollops of shaved ice danced in our heads, aaaaaaaand promptly came crashing down…as we arrived too late for doughnuts. Waahhhh!!

American Airlines Announces Additional Flights
The Belize Tourism Board is happy to report that American Airlines has announced an additional flight to and from Belize. Starting on June 6, 2015, travellers will be able to enjoy direct flights between Belize and Los Angeles on Saturdays and Sundays on their 737-800 aircraft. The flight leaves Belize at 8:55 am and arrives in Los Angeles at 1:10 pm. The Los Angeles flight leaves at 12:30 am and arrives in Belize at 6:10 am.

Minister Heredia bails out employee found in possession of marijuana
A bail application document was leaked to the media in which a sitting member of parliament signed on to bail for a man charged with Drug Possession. 43-year-old Edwardo Jones, a resident of Tarpon Street in San Pedro Town was arrested and charged by island police on January 17th. The document leaked to media and shared on social media, with the signature of Honourable Manuel Heredia JR, indicating that Jones was granted police bail on the same date. In an official police report, on Saturday, January 17th at approximately 6:20PM, San Pedro police on patrol at the corner of Almond and Tarpon Streets noticed a tall male of dark complexion dressed in a white T-shirt and a green short pants was seen standing on Chicken Street and walking around a tank that was in the area. According to police, Jones handed something to a person who had approached him.

Jerry Jeff Walker and Fans Give Back to the Community
They are no strangers to the island, and every January we see the migration of music lovers and musicians to San Pedro for the annual sold-out Jerry Jeff Walker (JJW) “Camp Belize” concerts that are held at Fido’s Courtyard. The legendary singer-songwriter and his wife Susan have been island mainstays for close to 20 years, and JJW’s affection for the island is more than evident during the concerts he holds over the duration of the two, one-week camps. “I see suntanned faces and curly hair…looks like you’re enjoying the island life,” the renowned musician says as he greets the enthusiastic crowd at the beginning of one of his shows. Just like many who have seen the rapid changes of the island over the years, between tunes Walker often reminisces about the good ole’ days on the island, when the streets were sand and everyone knew each other. His antidotes often inspire his next song, perhaps lamenting about a boat or covering San Pedro’s iconic musician Dennis Wolfe’s “Just another Gringo in Belize” song. His affection for the island is more than contagious, and many of the “Tried and True Warriors” have caught the La Isla Bonita bug as well, returning year after year to not only attend Walker’s concerts, but to make music of their own while socializing and enjoying the island life.

$6 million Sunset Boardwalk Project underused
The other section of the project that has seen criticized is the end result of the Honorable Louis Sylvester Sporting Complex, commonly referred to as the Saca Chispas field. The field, which was constructed on reclaimed lagoon, converts into a stagnant pond of water during rainy season. Heredia said that the inundation of the field will also be addressed. “We know that the Opposition has been criticizing us about the Saca Chispa field. We knew from the beginning that the height would have been insufficient, but there was a contract. The project was completed exactly as what the contract called for. I am hoping that by the end of this month, we will have stock piled sufficient materials, not only to put Saca Chispas to the height that is needed but we want to get started also with the Ambergris Stadium.” To make matters worse for the Saca Chispas Field, already there are signs of vandalism at the facility. Planks on the fence surrounding the field have been broken or are falling apart. In addition, the bathroom doors and its fixtures have been wrecked and broken apart. Because there is no one supervising the area, in some instances vagabonds utilize the bathroom area to sleep at night.

Ambergris Today

Body of Murdered Honduran Woman Exhumed, Honduran Embassy Expresses Disappointment
Her Excellency Sandra Rosales-Abella, Ambassador of the Republic of Honduras, was in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize on Thursday, January 29, 2015, to attend an emergency meeting with the Honduran community of the island after learning about the improper burial procedures taken on the body of murdered Honduran national Silvia del Carmen Benitez. Twelve days after Benitez was murdered and buried three and a half miles north of San Pedro, her body was exhumed upon the requests of the Honduran community of Ambergris Caye after they contacted the Honduran Embassy. At the meeting held at the Lions Den with concerned members of the Honduran community and invited friends, Ambassador Rosales-Abella expressed her utmost discontent at the way authorities of the island handled the murder investigations and burial of the body of Silva Benitez.

American Airlines Announces Additional Flights to Belize
The Belize Tourism Board is happy to report that American Airlines has announced an additional flight to and from Belize. In their press release they stated that they are adding six new routes throughout Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America. Their expanded service includes new flights to Belize City, Belize: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; Guadalajara, Mexico: Managua, Nicaragua: and Monterrey, Mexico. Starting on June 6, 2015, travelers will be able to enjoy direct flights between Belize and Los Angeles on Saturdays and Sundays on their 737-800 aircraft. The flight leaves Belize at 8:55 am and arrives in Los Angeles at 1:10 pm. The Los Angeles flight leaves at 12:30 am and arrives in Belize at 6:10 am.

Misc Belizean Sources

COROZAL LIVE SUPERBOWL ACTION
at Jam Rocks Bar & Grill this Sunday! Pizza Special!

Belize attracts over 300,000 stay-over visitors for 2014
In October, 2014, Belize recorded one million visitors to the country, including overnight and cruise arrivals, which was two months earlier than the projected time. Now, the total arrival numbers are in and the Belize Tourism Board has announced that Belize has surpassed the elusive 300,000 overnight visitors mark. The total overnight visitors to Belize in 2014 were 321,220. This shows a 9.2% increase in overnight visitors, when compared to 2013. 2014 was an outstanding year for the tourism industry in Belize. The year started with several properties in Belize earning awards in TripAdvisor’s 2014 Travelers’ Choice Awards. Ambergris Caye was then named the #1 Island in the World, for the second year in a row. Scuba Diving magazine outlined Belize as the “Central American paradise” who “earned a host of 2014 Top 100 Readers Choice Awards.”

QSI International School of Belize celebrated book week
"One of the greatest gifts adults can give—to their offspring and to their society—is to read to children." —Carl Sagan Do you read to your children? If so, what are their favorite books? Last week the QSI International School of Belize celebrated book week. Ambassador Moreno stopped by the school to read to the school children. The benefits of reading to and teaching children to read are endless. Pictured below: Ambassador Moreno with QSI students during book week.

The Zoo is preparing to celebrate the 8th birthday of everyone's favourite jaguar...Junior Buddy!
As always, Junior's party guests will include students from primary schools in the Belize District. In preparation for the big day, TBZ's Education Department conducted outreach visits to every class at St. John's Anglican School in Belize City. Students were treated to a cool presentation and discussion on the magnificent jaguar, and, of course, about the "ambassador" himself, Junior Buddy. Here, TBZ Educator Johanna Pacheco wows the attentive students with a real jaguar skull, and talks about the adaptations that makes this cat the King of the Jungle! St. John's students will be competing in an jaguar essay contest to win a chance to be one of the special guests at Junior Buddy's party next month. Best of luck to all essay writers!

National Agriculture and Trade Show
The National Agriculture and Trade Show Committee under the auspices of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Agriculture hereby informs the general public that the dates for the 2015 show has been changed to May 1, 2 and 3. The theme of the show remains as “Stimulating Prosperity in Agriculture and Food Production through Renewed Public Private Partnership”. The grounds are currently being prepared and concessioners and food vendors are advised that sale of booths will begin February 23, 2015. For More Information Contact: Mr. Roberto Harrison 828-5092

The Belize International Film Festival 2015
SAVE THE DATES: July 17, 18, 19th, 2015 - The Belize International Film Festival 10th Anniversary Edition takes place on the Placencia Penninsula. Encore Screenings follow in Belize City and Communities countrywide from July 23 to 26th!

THE BELIZE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL announces CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS!!
Deadline March 31st, 2015. Film entries to BIFF 2015 can be submitted in either of the following categories: 1. Narrative Feature (80 min +) 2. Short (15 min + under) 3. Documentary Feature (50 min +) 4. Short Doc (30 min + under) 5. TV Dramatic Series (22-60 min) 6. Music Video (5 min + under) a) Any filmmaker from any country worldwide can compete in the first four categories: Narrative Feature, Short, Doc Feature, Doc Short, providing they meet the duration requirements. b) Only pilots from Caribbean and Central America production companies for mini-series, telenovelas and soap operas filmed in the region will be accepted for the TV Dramatic series category. c) Only Belizean filmmakers at home or in the Diaspora can submit Music Videos. The Music Video must be for a Belizean artist and filmed in Belize. More info available in Rules and Regulations that can be found on the website at www.belizefilmfestival.com

13th Annual Belize Archaeology and Anthropology Symposium
The National Institute of Culture and History through the Institute of Archaeology (IA) and the Institute for Social and Cultural Research (ISCR) officially announces its 13th Annual Belize Archaeology and Anthropology Symposium (BAAS) to be held on June 29th-July 3rd; therefore, this call of papers officially invites researchers to submit abstracts by March 13th, 2015. For more information visit...the NICH website at www.nichbelize.org

NICH Annual Report 2013 - 2014
Here is your invitation to keep abreast of all that has been happening at NICH in the last year, with many more on the horizon..

DANGRIGA BELIZEANS IN SUPPORT OF REPARATIONS IN BELIZE!
Since the Belize reparations movement began to gain momentum in 2014, Belize has become the only Caribbean and Central American country so far that has held a national convention in the advancement of reparations globally. That means that Belize has taken the lead in this call to reparations in the black and indigenous peoples diaspora, leading its counterparts in the Caribbean and in the United States. What has made Belize lead in this progressive endeavor? It is because of Belizeans from all ethnic backgrounds that include the Creoles, the Garinagu, the Maya, and the East Indians, who came out in large numbers at the National Convention of The People of Belize held at the University of Belize in Belmopan on October 10, 2014. An impressive performance in unity so far.

Channel 7

Dr. Marco Tulio's Wife Speaks; Asks For Empathy For Her Children During Emerging Scandal
The pressure continues to build against the embattled Orange Walk East Area Representative, Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez and, tonight, police from Orange Walk are following up on allegations of indecent assault made by 2 teenaged girls. We've been reliably informed by police sources that they have tasked an investigator to check into whatever information the females have provided to the Department of Social Services. They're checking to see if the information provided can result in criminal charges - which information suggests could be brought early next week. Politically, pressure groups have now emerged to agitate against Mendez, and it led to a protest in front of the Orange Walk Town Council today. The agenda is to unseat him as area representative for Orange Walk East. We'll show you that later in our newscast, but first, we got a chance today to speak with Dr. Lesly Mendez, the wife of Dr. Marco Tulio. She figures prominently into the story because she's separated from Dr. Mendez.

There Was No Abduction At Queen Square Primary School
Last night, at the top of the newscast we reported on the very troubling report of the abduction of 4 primary school students from in front of the Queen Square Anglican Primary School in Belize City. Well, tonight we can confirm: it didn't happen; four children were not abducted in a white van. Though a child did say that she witnessed it - it seems that was just a story. There has been no missing person report - and there are no children from that school unaccounted for. Today Eastern Division police held a press briefing at the Raccoon Street Police Station to say that, nonetheless, measures are being taken to ensure the safety of children.

Obudsman's Vehicle Stolen And Crashed By Thief
This morning at 9:30 the Ombudsman's vehicle was stolen from in front of Fair Brothers Pawn Shop. According to police reports an employee of the Ombudsman's office went to the Fair Brothers Pawn Shop at the corner of Mahogany Street and Central American Boulevard. Police say he left the engine running with the key in the ignition and asked the security guard to keep an eye on it. But, apparently he didn't and in a flash, a stranger raced off in the Nissan X-Trail. But it didn't last long - shortly after the car thief ended up in a lamp-post on Glenn street - which is one of the narrowest streets in Belize City. This morning police told us what they know:.. Sr. Supt. Edward Broaster, Deputy Commander, Eastern Division "The vehicle of the Ombudsman was stolen this morning. The suspect who stole the vehicle, crash the vehicle Glenn Street. As we speak, police is on the scene and the vehicle is being recovered and taken to the police station."

The Final Numbers Of Chik-V Patients
Chikungunya - on Tuesday, the CEO in the Ministry of Health said Belize had done an admirable job in containing the virus - but we asked for numbers. The Director of Health Services, Dr. Michael Pitts gave that to us today. He says that since October, The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has confirmed 7 cases. These are primarily in Las Flores, Belmopan, while there was one case in Armenia Village on the Hummingbird Highway, and there was one more - this time in San Pedro. As for the San Pedro Case, Director Pitts says that was imported into the country. Presently there are 7 results pending from CARPHA. These samples were collected from surveillance done this month.

NTUCB Defends Floyd Neal's Nomination For SSB Board
Last night we told you about the Social Security Board meeting that had to be aborted because of a union boycott. Social Security's Board sent out its version of events in a press release yesterday and today, the National Trade Union Congress of Belize sent out a thousand word press release challenging that. The release says the NTUCB represents quote, 'the People who pay every single penny into SSB as well as the stipend enjoyed by members of the SSB Board Of Directors." As to the claim that having Christian Workers Union Secretary General Floyd Neal present would create a conflict of interest, the NTUCB says, quote, "it is ridiculous for them to be claiming that the function of Mr. Neal within the Board will be a conflict interest, unless all the SSB does is deal with issues arising out of the Collective Bargaining process between Social Security Employees and SSB representatives!:" The NTUCB says that when the collective bargaining agreement is discussed, an alternate union representative can be designated to sit in.

OW Residents Pressure Dr. Marco Tulio; Political Opportunism At Play
At the top of our news, we showed you our interview with Dr. Lesly Mendez, wife of Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez, as she discussed the difficulties she and her family have been experiencing the wake of the emerging scandal against her husband. She wants her family to be left out of the scandal by persons who are politicizing the issue to pressure Dr. Marco Tulio to step down. There was one such group of persons today who stood in front of the Town Hall and used the platform of the protection of family values as the premise to demand Dr. Marco Tulio's resignation. Our News team was there to challenge them on the political agenda at play. Daniel Ortiz reports: Daniel Ortiz reporting 20 residents living in Orange Walk Town stood in front of the offices of the Town Council to picket Mayor Kevin Bernard. Though there are no criminal charges against Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez, they want the Mayor take a moral stance as the titular leader of the town and demand that Dr. Mendez steps down as Area Representative for Orange Walk East.

City Hall Repairing Cemetery Road's Concreting Job
More than a year ago, on December 17, 2013 we showed you how Cemetery Road had sprung a pothole in heavy rains after it was cement paved. Well, we've been pressuring mayor Darrell Bradley about it since then, and finally today work started to re-cast the two trouble areas on that much trafficked street. We saw work crews had torn up the cement and were getting ready to re-cast it. The mayor has said that this will not cost the city - as the funds to do this would be taken out of the contractor's retainer. We don't know if that still holds since the streets was first paved about two years ago. But there are other cement streets such as Church Street that have shown serious sings of degradation only a year after being paved.

12 Miles Of Old Northern Getting Paved
And while the Mayor is fixing that section of Cemetery Road which did not stand up too long to the elements, 12 miles of the Old Northern Highway will get a much needed repair after decades of neglect. Edmond "Clear the Land" Castro, the area representative for Belize Rural North, told us today that his constituents are most anxious to have the work finished, even though it's only just started: Hon. Edmund Castro, Belize Rural North Area Rep. "The government of Belize through the PetroCaribe funds and the contractor is Rodla Construction. We begin the hot mix and the paving of the Old Northern Highway, the first 5 miles which will go somewhere in the Boston Area and as soon as we complete this first 5 miles from Sand Hill going in, we will commence another 7 miles, which will take us past Altun Ha Road somewhere in Lucky Strike area. So, this is some of the hard work that we are doing for the 9 villages on the Old Northern Highway. Much deserved. I think the last time this type of work was done similar to this was some 30-40 years ago and since then, no area representatives before that were able to get any of that done for the people along the Old Northern Highway."

Abduction Attempts At La Immaculada Primary?
The school abduction scare was visited on Belize City yesterday evening - and the day before we heard about it in Belmopan. The narrative that's now been repeating itself started in Orange Walk earlier this week - when two children, girls aged 10 and 11 reported being almost abducted. It happened right at the lunch hour on Monday and Tuesday. The principal Manuel Polanco told our colleagues at CTV-3 news more: Notably, there were no eyewitnesses coming forward - even thought both incidents were reported to have happened in the heart of town. A similar report emerged in Corozal.

Elizabeth Welch Is Safe
Last night you heard the plea from Elizabeth Welch, the Mother of 15 year old runaway Amanda Usher. Well, right after the news aired, at about 7:30 p.m. the teenager was found in Dangriga. She was in good health and was returned to Belize City this morning…

Police Will Hold "Pure Black" March Against Violence
We have reported on peace vigils and prayer marches organized by the community but the police also want to make a positive impact with their peace march. "Be loving and seize killing": that is the theme of the march that the Eastern Division police unit is organizing. It's all about trying to reduce crime and violence in the city with unity. Senior Superintendent Broaster told us more about the purpose of this event. The march is scheduled for Friday March 27th.

2015 Agric Show Date Change
The dates have been changed for The National Agriculture and Trade Show. It was supposed to be held on the 24, 25 and 26th of April, but the dates have been changed to May first, second and third. It seems the business community asked for dates closer to payday to increase the purchasing power of visitors. Sale of booths will begin on February 23rd - since work is being done to improve the infrastructure and this will affect the booth layout.

BDF Parade New Soldiers
Tomorrow is BDF day - the single day set aside to celebrate the Force's anniversary. Today, at Price Barracks they held their BDF Day Parade to welcome new soldiers and have them display their parade square discipline. Commander David Jones explained the significance:.. Brig. Gen. David Jones, Commander, Belize Defence Force "Today we are having most of the representatives of the different formations of the BDF on parade, but the most important thing is the day we are reflecting on the 37 years in existence since the formation of the Belize Volunteer Guard and the Volunteer Force into the Belize Defence Force which occurred on the 31st of January 1978. The recruits are going to pass out today. We've had over 100 candidates who took the selection board. The selection exam has been over 17 weeks now, finally today is the day they complete training and I am sure they are looking forward to this day because they are now trained soldiers after this parade. So, we have 83 of them. Including in those 83 are 4 officer cadets, who are potential officers that will be sent out later on to do course to become officers in the Belize Defence Force."

El Jai Will Perform At Bob Marley Tribute
Banners and flyers on the 4th Annual Bob Marley Tribute are everywhere around the city - and there are a couple TV ads as well. But the featured artist - Eljai, who is an international Belizean artist - came to our studios this morning to invite the public out himself. But apart from the entertainment, there is another element to this show that extends to the community. Eljai and the Vibes Alive International promoter told us more about it today. The tribute will be held at the East Sports Center in Orange Walk tomorrow night.

Channel 5

No Charges for Doctor Mendez
Doctor Marco Tulio Mendez, pediatrician and politician, has not been charged by Orange Walk Police. We do know at this time that based on allegations against him, made to the [...]

Attorney Says Mendez Denies Allegations
Today, there was a small political protest in Orange Walk Town. A few persons holding signs called for Mendez to resign his seat in the National Assembly. We’ll have that [...]

Mendez Will Likely Be Charged on Monday
Today, Bradley was also in Orange Walk to try to get information with which to make the best possible arrangements for his client. By that we mean bail. While the [...]

Protesters Call for Mendez’s Resignation
As we told you earlier, there was a small U.D.P. demonstration in which protesters called for the resignation of Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez. Interestingly, they didn’t do it in front [...]

Kidnapping Report Unconfirmed
Just before our newscast on Thursday evening, word spread like wildfire that four students of Queen Square Anglican Primary School, three girls and one boy, were abducted by a man [...]

No Kidnapping…But A Wake Up Call
Deputy Officer Commanding the Eastern Division of the Belize City Police Department, Senior Superintendent Edward Broaster, says that while the report may have sounded a false alarm, it is a [...]

12 B.D.F. Officers To Answer for Missing Ammo
It has been over a week since the two containers of ammunition were reported missing from the B.D.F. base in Ladyville. One thousand six hundred and eight-five point five-six and [...]

CWU President Accuses S.S.B. of Disrespect
On Monday, according to S.S.B. Act, the N.T.U.C.B. informed the Office of the Prime Minister that they were nominating Emily Turner and Floyd Neal as directors and Philip Tate as [...]

Matura-Shepherd Says G.O.B. Attacking the Union
According to Matura-Shepherd, it seems as if the government is attacking the union. Matura-Shepherd says that there has been little to no communication between the CWU and the S.S.B.; and [...]

Missing Teen Returned Home
Fifteen year old Amanda Usher was found in Dangriga and is now safe at home with her family. On Thursday, we reported that Usher was missing after her mother informed [...]

Tattoo Artist Granted Bail
After seven nights on remand at the Belize Central Prison, forty-five year old tattoo artist, Estevan Mossiah, a Barrack Road resident, who was accused last week of having sexual intercourse [...]

Jasmine Alert to Be Reborn
Remember Jasmine Alert? The initiative was established back in 2012 in memory of thirteen year old Jasmine Lowe from San Elena, Cayo District. She is the young girl who was [...]

New B.D.F. Recruits Pass Out
It was full pomp and circumstance today at the B.D.F.’s Price Barracks Compound, as the best and the brightest of its new recruits were recognized. Weeks of intense physical and [...]

NATS Scheduled for May 1st
Thousands will be flocking to the national show grounds in Belmopan for the 2015 National Agriculture and Trade Show. The Committee has announced that the show will be taking place [...]

Eastern Division Launches Anti-Crime Initiative
The Eastern Division of the Belize Police Department is launching yet another initiative in an effort to combat crime. A Be Loving and Cease Killing (BLACK) march will be held [...]

B.D.F. Celebrates 37th Anniversary
The Belize Defense Force wants you to head out to their Ladyville Compound tomorrow for the annual B.D.F. Day. The fun, family event starts at nine in the morning and [...]

PlusTV

Woman reports attempted abduction in Belize City
There was a separate report of an attempted abduction in Belize City on Thursday night. An unidentified woman told police she was approached by the occupant of a gray vehicle on Central American Boulevard and asked to come with him ,which she refused to do. Senior Superintendent Edward Broaster shares details and why such reports are concerning to police. “A report was made by a female that a grey car slowed down beside her, and tried to entice her to get in the vehicle. Hence the reason we are saying that all young persons of age should be prudent and be careful not to get into any vehicle with any stranger.

Police ask assistance of community over alleged abduction of schoolchildren
As of Friday afternoon, Belize City police say they have received no reports from parents of students at Queen’s Square Anglican School or elsewhere reporting that any children of theirs are missing. As we reported last night, police received a statement, now in fact confirmed to be two joint statements, from students of the school reporting that four of their classmates – three girls and a boy – were put into a white van on Warrie Street, just around the corner from the school’s compound on Armadillo Street, and taken away. There are no further details, but on the heel of multiple reports of attempted abductions of schoolchildren in Corozal, Orange Walk and even a reported sighting here in Belmopan, the concern level has been raised.

Michel Chebat is PUP Cayo North Standard Bearer
Michel Chebat is the new PUP standard bearer for Cayo North. Mr Chebat was sworn in on Thursday after a direct appointment by the Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Francis Fonseca. Michel Chebat first came on the political scene last month December 2014, when he offered himself to run as the PUP Standa...

Hepatitis A update
On Tuesday we told you about the outbreak of Hepatitis A in Buena Vista Village, Cayo District. We have since been attempting to secure an interview with an official from the Ministry of Health to speak on the matter but have been declined. However on Tuesday our media colleagues at Love FM spoke to...

New Museum to be built in Belmopan
Plans are still sketchy but the Belmopan City Council has intentions of erecting a new building in Belmopan that will become the National Museum of Belize. The Belmopan City Council has been liaising with the National Institute of Culture and History (NICH) to get this project underway. On Wednesday...

Contract Signed for Belmopan Ring Road Upgrading
Two contracts were signed on Wednesday at the Ministry of Works and Transport in Belmopan, as part of the Road Safety Project headed by the Ministry of Economic Development, co-funded by the Government of Belize and the Caribbean Development Bank. Yvonne Hyde, CEO in the Ministry of Economic Develop...

Reports of Abduction attempts on school children
There were abduction attempts in Orange Walk earlier this week, one on Monday and another on Tuesday. The incidents happened at La Inmaculada Elementary School. Principal Manuel Polanco told our colleagues at CTV 3 more about the incidents. Manuel Polanco - Principal: [We can] confirm two incident...

Bel-Cuisine robbed by machete wielding man
Corozal police are looking for a suspect who is known to them. This is after a businesswoman was robbed in front of her place of business. 46 year old Guadelupe Sosa, a Naturalized Belizean business woman, was closing up her place of business Bel-Cuisine on Wednesday night, Janaury 28, 2015...

Final economic statistics for 2014 released
This week the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) released final statistics for 2014, with relation to trade and inflation. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed negative figures of minus 0.4 per cent, fueled as it were by the lower prices for gasoline and butane and some food items. It is the fir...

Belmopan Baptist High School English students want to go to London
The Belmopan Baptist High School has been invited to participate in the World English Experience (WEE) 2015 to be held in London...

CODEX talks Food Safety
Thursday marked the conclusion of a two day sensitization workshop on food quality at the George Price Centre in Belmopan as part of the Codex National effort. The Codex Alimentarius Commission is the body responsible for adopting standards and guidelines for protecting consumer health and ensuring ...

The Guardian

CWU President Lands Low Blow on Tux Vasquez
Audrey Matura-Shepherd has surpassed Prime Minister Barrow for best zinger of 2015. On Tuesday, January 27, the President of the Christian Workers Union landed a blow on Arturo “Tux” Vasquez, Chief Executive Officer of the Port of Belize Limited, so sharp that it knocked PM Barrow’s reference to attorneys of the “low grade, empty vessel variety” out of the top spot. She basically called him a premie. Matura-Shepherd and Vasquez are holding temporary positions that cause them to be at odds and it has led to a public verbal shootout in the last week. On January 20, Matura-Shepherd responded to accusations by the Port of Belize that she has been dragging her foot on CBA negotiations by saying, “When we go to that negotiating table it will be when we are ready.” She says the union will not continue on the path that the previous executive was on.

Hon. Mark King eliminating London Bridges in Lake!
Southside Belize City is one of the most difficult areas to develop properly because it is made up of so much swamp. The Barrow Administration, however, is taking on that challenge and trying to help as much of the residents as possible. That help comes by way of an annual landfill program where residents can apply and sign up to receive landfill materials to fill their yards. The project comes under the Ministry of Human Development with financing from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Fund for International Development. Hon. Anthony Boots Martinez has chartered the program for some of the constituencies, which are in desperate need of in the Southside, namely Port Loyola, Collet, Pickstock, and Lake Independence.

Streets and drains in Benque
Work is ongoing in the peaceful Town of Benque Viejo del Carmen to further improve its network of drains and streets. During this week, work continued in the cementing of Guerra Street. Plans are already underway to cement Caracol Lane, Joy Vera, Boston Lane as well as Victoria Street and the Santa Cruz area in this most Western Municipality. Several of these streets in Benque Viejo have been improved under the Municipal Development Project. (A portion of the Juanito Gongora Street will be of asphalt and could not be of cement, because it was too late into the bidding process.) But six to seven streets in Benque will be cemented with funds obtained from Petro-Caribe. Hon. Erwin Contreras, Minister of Trade, Investment Promotion, Private Sector Development and Consumer Protection and Representative for the area, told the Guardian that Belize’s Prime Minister Dean Barrow has given $250,000.00 towards work on drains $500,000.00 to fix streets and $200,000.00 to cement streets in Benque. As a result of this work in progress, some 97 Benquenos are now being employed in the drainage program.

The Belize Natural Energy Charitable Trust Signs Agreements with the Ministry of Health for two Infrastructure Projects
The BELIZE Natural Energy Charitable Trust (BNECT) signed two Agreements with the Ministry of Health to construct an annex to the Independence Poly Clinic located in the Stann Creek District as well as to renovate the existing structure that houses the San Narciso Health Center located in the Corozal District. In April 2014, grant funding in the amount of $250,000.00 was approved by the Trust for the Independence Poly Clinic to construct a new wing immediately adjacent to the existing structure located on 4 acres of land, which will allow for future expansion. The new annex will house all clinical support services including pharmacy, laboratory, X-rays and ultrasounds. The total cost of this project is $417,828.00, and the Ministry of Health is providing its counterpart funding in the amount of $167,828.00.

Breast cancer diagnosis unit now at KHMH
The Karl Heusner Memorial, the country’s flagship hospital, now has breast cancer diagnostic capabilities thanks to a partnership with the Carolinas HealthCare System and Heineman Foundation. On Tuesday, January 27, the hospital opened the doors to its Breast Cancer Diagnostic Unit. The unit was dedicated to Mrs. Kim Simplis-Barrow ,who has become a national and regional champion for the fight against breast cancer. Barrow says, “I know a cancer diagnosis is a very scary thing to face and it is the last news anyone would want to received, but I also know that the strength needed to fight cancer comes from acceptance of this diagnosis as well as knowing that services are available and accessible.” She referred to records from 2007 to 2011 which shows that breast cancer is responsible for 12 percent of all cancer related deaths among women. Therefore, the need for such diagnostic unit at KHMH cannot be overstated. “The introduction of mammography, ultrasound and an ultrasound guided treated biopsy system will support the early detection of breast cancer, which can saves lives”, says Barrow.

Efforts for a more formal Food Code for Belize
A National Stakeholders sensitization on the CODEX Alimentarius was held on Wednesday of this week at the George Price Center for Peace and Development. Participants from a range of both Government and Private Sector organization attended the first day of meeting, which continues Thursday, where a more in depth overview of the food codes will be reviewed. These two days of workshops have been organized by the Belize Bureau of Standards BBS and the Belize Agriculture Health Authority BAHA in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation and Agriculture IICA and the Ministerio de Economia, Industria y Comercio MEIC of Costa Rica. The CODEX Alimentarius Commission was established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1963. Its membership today is 185 member states and 200 inter-governmental and international non-governmental organizations as observers. Its main work is the development of international food standards, guidelines and codes of practices to protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in food trade. It promotes the coordination of all food standards work undertaken by international governmental and non-governmental organizations.

H. E. Ambassador Benjamin Ho and Mrs. Ho visit schools and NGOs in Punta Gorda
Hon. Lisel Alamilla, Senator and Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Sustainable Development of Belize has been a resident of Punta Gorda for many years. She mentioned many times to H.E. Benjamin Ho, Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan), that Punta Gorda is one of the most beautiful places in Belize, and the town has been desperate for development. She invited Ambassador Ho to visit the town whenever he is available. Ambassador and Mrs. Ho accepted the invitation and visited PG on January 22, 2015 in the company of Minister Alamilla. Hon. Alamilla led Ambassador and Mrs. Ho to visit St. Benedict RC School, Seventh Day Adventist School and St. Peter Claver School sequentially. Ambassador Ho and Hon. Alamilla were warmly welcomed by students and teachers of the Schools. Ambassador Ho made remarks paying respect to Hon. Alamilla for her efforts in seeking assistance and support for schools of PG. Ambassador Ho also praised the Government of Belize for putting much resource into education, stressing education as being the most worthy investment for a country. Ambassador Ho encouraged students to study hard and become useful assets of the country. H.E. Ho presented foot balls and some sports kerchiefs to the schools.

ICA Belize and Carmelita Government School receive Grant from Japanese Government under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects
On Monday, February 2nd, 2015, Counselor of the Embassy of Japan, Hiromoto Oyama will sign the Grassroots Human Security Grant Agreements with the ICA Belize and Carmelita Government School at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Belize City. The “Rejuvenation of West Indian Sea Island Cotton Industry in Belize Project” implemented by ICA Belize is to provide farm equipment to produce more crops in Orange Walk District and valued at $102,029 USD. The West Indian Sea Island Cotton is world renowned as the premium cotton. Though there is a high demand internationally, currently there is not enough production to meet the demands because of the lack of equipment. Belizean Sea Island Cotton industry will aim to be a leading producer by acquiring new equipment.

Matura will also splinter the Christian Workers Union
It can be said that the tactics that Audrey Matura tried to employ was the greatest factor that led to the splintering of the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association. She was able to persuade them to let the bone go and chase the shadow. In the end, because of her coercion, those who were not with her agenda broke away and formed their own associations almost doing away with a 55-year old organization. You see, Matura follows a scorched earth policy, where you are either with her or you are against her, there is no middle ground, there is no room for negotiation, and there is no compromise. It is her way or no way and in the end, the earth becomes scorched. She is once again proving this with the manner. But it is surprising that she, as an attorney is unable to be a negotiator. The basic principle of law dictates that whenever possible compromises be reached in order to resolve problems. Not so for Matura. She always pushes the envelope to create contention. That is what she did with the BSCFA and the rest is now history, forever changing the sugar industry.

Belize’s International Profile in Metrology will be lifted
A remarkable event transpired on Tuesday of last week, which is bound to change Belize’s trajectory into the future. At that ground breaking ceremony for the Belize Bureau of Standards Laboratory at the Ministry of Works compound in Belmopan, Hon. Erwin Contreras, the Minister of Trade, Investment Promotion, Private Sector Development and Consumer Protection, stated that the new facility will lift the International Profile of Belize. “This infrastructure will propel Belize to become one of the top National Metrology Institutes within CARICOM,” he said. Thus, in over 23 years of its existence the Belize Bureau of Standards (BBS) is finally turning a new page in its history. Charged with legal responsibility for Quality Infrastructure (QI), which encompasses standards, metrology - the science of measurements accreditation and certification - the department has struggled for many years to deliver this mandate and as a consequence its existence has brought little meaning to the society and economy. Fully embracing of this responsibility, the BBS is now piecing together the essential pillars for a National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) by modernizing the legislative framework under which the Bureau operates and at the same time conceptualizing the physical and human resources needed to carry out its mandate under this framework.

Businessman Accused of having Sex with Minor
Estevan Mossiah, 45, businessman of Barrack Road is in trouble for allegedly having sex with a 15-year-old girl twice in January of this year. According to a report to police by a minor, 15, Mossiah engaged in sexual intercourse with her on two separate occassions, Janaury 6 and Janaury 9, 2015. Mossiah was arrested and charged with two counts of sexual assault upon a minor under the age of 16. He was unrepresented when he appeared before Magistrate Hettie Mae Stewart on Friday, January 23. Since the charge is a matter that will be dealt with on indictment, no plea was taken and he was remanded to the Belize Central Prison until February 24, 2015.

BDF soldier busted with unlicensed firearm
Police have arrested and charged 39 year-old Eber Navarette, a Belize Defence Force Soldier attached to Price Barracks in Ladyville, for being in possession of an unlicensed firearm. Police in San Ignacio report that they received information of an individual travelling in a taxi who was in possession of an unlicensed firearm. They intercepted the vehicle at the corner of Awe and Carmelita Streets where Navarette was seen exiting the vehicle. They approached him and attempted to conduct a search on him but before they could do so, Navarette took off running with police setting chase.

String of armed robberies in Cayo are all connected
Police now say that a string of recent armed robberies in the San Ignacio Town Area are all connected. In the most recent incident, on Monday of this week, a gun man stood in front of a man, who was taking out trash in the Kontiki Area, and ordered him to be taken in a vehicle to Belize City. Fearing for his life, the resident complied, and while in Belize City, was released unhurt. Making his way back safely to San Ignacio Town, the man then made a report to his boss as to the manner that the company’s vehicle was used. On January 19, taxi driver Jorge Williams was arriving at his house in the Santiago Juan Layout Area after a full day of work, when he was relieved of cash, cell phone and jewelry by a man wielding a hand gun. Police now believe that the same people involved in the robbery of Williams then proceeded to move within the same Santiago Juan Layout that same night at about 6:30 pm to take away, at gunpoint, a 1999 Honda CRV vehicle from Ruby Obando.

Major ammunition heist at BDF camps
2,680 military grade rounds of ammunition is believed to be in the hands of criminals after it was stolen from a highly guarded compound which the Belize Defence Force keeps a cordoned off from the public. For the fourthtime in the military’s history, it is believed that BDF insiders are responsible for military materials ending up on the streets and in the possession of criminals. The BDF high command made the discovery on Friday, January 23 when an inventory was taken at the Echelon Compound, located in Lords Bank Village. They were assisting their counterparts from the US Military; a company of soldiers are in Belize currently, and they are performing training. Early on Friday, soldiers from the BDF conducted inventory checks at the ammunition bay in Echelon Compound, and they discovered that one thousand rounds of 7.62 ammunition with batch number A396, and 1,680 rounds of 5.56 ammunition were missing. The last time a check of the bay was done for the ammunition was on December 7, 2014, so it is believed that the ammunition was stolen between that date and Friday, when the discovery was made.

Busted with over 204 Grams of Weed
Elwin Steven Evans, a laborer of Sandhill Village, is out on bail after he pleaded not guilty to trafficking 204.1 grams of cannabis. Evans was busted by police in his home village over the weekend and taken before Magistrate Herbert Panton on Monday, January 26. He was represented by attorney Audrey Matura-Shepherd and was read a single charge of possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply another person or persons for the purpose of drug trafficking.

Belize Athletics Association to hold Annual General Assembly
Belize Athletics Association will hold the 2015 Annual General Assembly at the University of the West Indies Auditorium, Princess Margaret Drive, on 31 January, 2015 at 2:00pm. There is one vacancy open for the election of a committee member for which nominations are sought. All members are required to pay their 2015 annual dues by the 27 January, 2015. Payment of dues can be made at any of the National Sports Council offices throughout Belize. All members are asked to please bring along their identification cards.

Belmopan Bandits is defending national football champions
The Belize Premier Football League Closing Season is scheduled to commence on Saturday 31 January, 2015, with a single game on the schedule and will continue on Sunday 1, February, 2015, with three more games on the schedule. The Belmopan Bandits is the defending national football champions and will be looking towards a repeat performance of the last championship. On Saturday 31 January, at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium in Belmopan at 7:30 pm, it will be the Belmopan Bandits against the Police United.

Burrell Boom Methodist School wins Belize Rural Zone 1 Basketball Competition
The Belize Rural Zone 1 Basketball Competition was played on Thursday 22 January, 2015, at the Burrell Boom Basketball Court. Four schools namely Hattieville Government School, Burrell Boom Methodist School, Lucky Strike Government School and Belize Rural Primary School participated in the girls’ competition, while Hattieville Government School, Burrell Boom Methodist School, Lucky Strike Government School, Belize Rural Primary School and St. Therese RC School from Burrell Boom participated in the boys’ competition. In the girls’ championship game, Burrell Boom Methodist School won over Lucky Strike Government School by the score of 2-1. The top scorer for Burrell Boom Methodist was Lorriane Stephen with 2 points.

8th Charles Solis Memorial Softball Tournament set for February 8
The Belize Softball Federation is pleased to announce that it has rescheduled the 8th Charles Solis Memorial Softball Invitational Tournament to Sunday 8 February, 2015, at Rogers Stadium. The tournament was originally scheduled for 26 October, 2014, and had to be postponed because of the weather. The 8th Charles Solis Memorial Tournament will feature the Belize Bank Bulldogs the national softball champions of Belize, Beacon from Belize City, Lord’s Bank Sunrise, Camalote United, Roaring Creek Grace Kennedy and the champions from the Orange Walk Association. The tournament is scheduled to commence at 9:00 am and will utilise an abbreviated format.

The Doctor’s Orders Urinary Tract Infection – It burns when I pee!
A common and often benign condition, Urinary Tract Infection will, at one point or another, affect almost every woman out there. Urinary Tract Infections, or UTI, as it is commonly referred to as – is a bacterial infection along the urinary tract. The urinary tract consist of the kidneys (this is where the urine is produced), the ureters (the tubes that extend from the kidneys to the bladder), the bladder (the storage unit for the urine), and the urethra (tube from bladder to expelling urine). If a person has a UTI it simply means that there is an infection anywhere along this path. Infections along the urethra and bladder are considered less severe than those higher up, especially at the kidney level. Often times it is an untreated UTI at the lower level that spreads upwards and affects the kidneys.

Craft Markets opened at three archaeological sites
For the first time, craft vendors at three of the nine archaeological sites in Belize can display their products at designated areas. This as three new craft markets were opened on Wednesday at the archaeological sites of Nim Li Punit, Lubaantun and Blue Creek in the Toledo District. The infrastructural developments are the results of work being done under the Making Tourism Benefit Communities Adjacent to Archaeological Sites (MTBCAAS) project. The project which is funded under the EU supported Belize Rural Development Programme (BRDP) is being implemented by the Belize Tourism Board and the National Institute of Culture and History. Today's handover marks the completion of works at three of a total of nine sites which are being enhanced under the project.

Social Security Workers got no pay because of CWU
A.M.S. is the virus that causes E.P.S., Empty Pocket Syndrome, and in Belize recently it is spreading like an epidemic in vulnerable environments. Farmers of the sugar cane industry lost millions of dollars because of the aggressive virus and now employees of the Social Security Board are counting pennies to meet their monthly expenses after its latest attack. January 26, 2015 was supposed to be a day of enjoyment for employees of Social Security. They were supposed to receive a well deserved salary increase or “transitional increment” for outstanding performance in recent years, 2014 in particular. However, this was not the case on Monday. Not only did they receive no raise, but they didn’t even receive their salary. With no money in their account, the workers watched as text messages came in from the utility companies reminding them that payment was overdue and disconnection would take place soon.

Residents in the Northern Region of Corozal will Soon Benefit from Upgraded Market & Sports Complex Facilities
The Contract for the upgrading and rehabilitation of the Corozal Town Market and Sports Complex facilities is valued at $721,789.40 and is being financed by the Government of Belize through a loan from the World Bank under the Belize Municipal Development Project (BMDP) along with a three per cent contributed by the Corozal Town Council. The contract for the two (2) facilities was signed by Liborio Vega of LV and SONS Construction, and William Lamb Jr. the Executive Director, Belize Social Investment Fund, at the Belize Social Investment Fund (BSIF) headquarters, Belmopan, January 26, 2015. The market project is designed to upgrade a section of the existing market of 220 square meters particularly 15 market stalls which were in a dilapidated condition that poses serious health and security risks and natural disasters to both vendors and patrons. The objective is to provide a safer and more pleasant environment for vendors and shoppers resulting in significant improvement in the quality of life for residents in Corozal Town and surrounding communities.

The UDP government's major street transformation project in Dangriga
A major street rehabilitation and upgrade project has commenced at 2nd New Site in Dangriga. Thanks to the Prime Minister, Hon. Dean O. Barrow, almost $700,000 was allocated to fund the uplift of unpaved streets, neglected for three years by the PUP Town Council, to pre-paving standard. For this purpose, a supply of “all-in” or crushed white marl, totalling in excess of 600 truckloads, has been stockpiled at Canada Hill and is now being trucked into town. With the dry weather conditions now prevailing, the contractor for the project, DEC and Sons, commenced work on Monday after preliminary grading of some of the streets. All-in material is being trucked to the streets, spread by grader, and compacted to a smooth finish by roller. The pictures provided show this being done.

Ecumenical Drive in Dangriga nears completion
The Infrastructure works in Dangriga approached a new milestone this past week as the cementing of Ecumenical Drive approached completion. Following this phase, the shoulders of the street will be filled, slanted and buffed. Ecumenical Drive is an important artery which connects the entrance of the Town with the northern-side leading all the way to the Pelican Airstrip. This will make life easier for drivers as preparations are being made to commence similar works on other main streets in the central area of Dangriga. Make no mistake about it: the Transformation of Dangirga is well underway!

Shooting at birthday party leaves one man fighting for his life
There was a shooting at a birthday party which sent the guests, including children and infants, fleeing for safety, and 27 year-old Eugene Pitts hospitalized with shotgun pellets piercing his midsection. It happened at midnight on Sunday, January 25, 2015, when the Bowen family was celebrating the birthday of a family member with a party. The victim, Eugene Pitts, who is a student of the University of Belize, and who is a resident of Hattieville, was on the dance floor with other guests when everyone heard the sound of a gunshot. At the time, they believed that one of the speakers of the sound system had blown, but shortly after the shot went off, they found Pitts on the ground suffering from pellet wounds all over his midsection. He was rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, and that’s where he remains while trying to recover from the injuries with the help of his doctors. He is listed as being in a stable condition.

“Soup” Survives Attempt on His Life
News spread like wild fire late Tuesday night that Jason “Soup” Williams, 36, Boss of the Supal Street Gang, had been killed; however, the rumours proved to be false as an attempt on his life resulted in nothing more than a flesh wound. Williams is home recovering from a gunshot wound to the upper part of the right thigh. At about 9 p.m., he was standing with two friends in front of a relative’s residence near the canal on Fairweather Street when at least one gunman ambushed him and opened fire with deadly intentions. Residents say they heard about eight to ten shots. Williams tried to run from his attackers but a bullet struck him in the right thigh. The shooter(s) then ran from the area in the direction of Dolphin Street, the opposite side of the bridge. Williams got into a friend’s vehicle who took him to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. Police responded to the area less than three minutes after the shooting.

Police detain escapee but not before he is shot
Police have apprehended, prison escapee, 25-year-old Emmanuel Willoughby. Police were in the area of Arlington Drive in Belize City when they came across Willoughby who is reported to have had an object which resembled a firearm in his hand. Police say they ordered him to surrender but he refused, as a result police fired shots at Willoughby, two of which caught him: one to the right arm and another to the leg. He was transported to the KHMH where he is undergoing treatment. Willoughby escaped from the Belize Central Prison on Saturday, December, 13, 2014. He has been on the run since and police want him in connection to a number of armed hold ups in the Cayo District.

Brandon Cattouse won 2nd Saturday Test Race
The C-Ray Cycling Club is once again inviting all cyclists to participate in its Saturday Test Races that commences at 6:00 am from in front of Leslie’s Imports on the George Price Highway. It makes a right at the Hattieville Round-about, travels onto the Boom Road and turns at the half-way point at the Burrell Boom Bridge and then back to Leslie’s Imports for the finish. The entire journey is 45 miles. Meanwhile, on Saturday 24 January, 2015, some 47 riders participated in four categories. In the Female category, first place went to Alicia Thompson while second place went to Kaya Cattouse. In the Junior category, first place went to Darien Anderson, who won his 3rd consecutive test race, 2nd place went to Shane Jones and third place went to Yan Cattouse.

Amandala

Cop and accomplices busted with BZ$448,000 worth of cocaine
Corporal Martin Mas, of Belmopan police, was busted with 2,800 grams of cocaine, valued at approximately $448,000. Mas, 37, of Belmopan, was along with three other men — Pedro Sho, 27, of Corozal Town; Tom Martinez, 41, of Bullet Tree, Cayo District; and Bernard Che, 38, a taxi driver of Belmopan. They were all charged with drug trafficking. The incident occurred at about 8:00 Tuesday night at a roadblock at Mile 18 on the Hummingbird Highway in the village of Steadfast.

GOB can’t wiretap yet: Col. Lovell
The Interception of Communication Act was introduced on Belize’s law books in 2010 and while it sets out a legal framework within which the Government of Belize can engage in wiretapping—and only via a court order requested by the Director of Public Prosecution in the process of police investigations—there is suspicion that the Government has been deploying wiretapping technologies to keep tabs on “persons of interest.” Ret’d Colonel George Lovell , CEO in the Ministry of National Security, told Amandala, though, that the Government did not proceed with setting up the technology because the best bid, which they got from the Israeli company known as NICE Systems Ltd., was too costly for them.

School children abducted – police seek Caucasian man
A report to the media late this evening that four students of Queen’s Square Anglican Primary School, three girls and a boy, had been abducted from in front of the school could not be officially verified at press time tonight, but what has been confirmed is that the parents of two children had made a missing person report to police, and also that, according to a report made by a child, the children had been taken by a man in a white van. This information was verified around 9:45 p.m. tonight, Thursday. Police sources confirmed to Amandala that the abductor may have been a person of Caucasian descent who is operating out of a white van that had been spotted in the Corozal and Orange Walk Districts. He reportedly had been trying to lure children into his van, but none took the money that was offered as bait.

White American pedophile on the loose in the north
Residents in northern Belize are currently on high alert since last week when word spread that recently, the occupant of a white Toyota Prado, described as a white man speaking with an American accent, has been making attempts to lure schoolchildren into the vehicle, particularly females, through the use of money and/or candy in that vicinity. We understand that the matter has gotten so disturbing that yesterday, Tuesday, the administration of La Immaculada RC Primary School in Orange Walk issued a note to parents warning them about the overtures being made by the man to children, which, according to the school management, had recently happened twice during lunch time, with the children being photographed and offered candy by the stranger in both cases.

Woman abducted and sodomized in Dangriga
A woman’s worst nightmare became a reality when she was abducted, tied up, raped and sodomized by two men on Sunday night, January 25. The police took the woman, 25, to the Dangriga Hospital, where she was examined by a doctor, who certified that she had been sodomized. Police carried out a quick investigation which led them to identify the culprits as two men, who are known to police. They are Robert Taylor, 22, of Monument Site, Dangriga, who has been arrested and charged with rape, aggravated assault, theft of a motor vehicle, abduction and robbery, and a second man, Shane Bennett of Dangriga, whom police have not yet arrested. A warrant has been issued for his arrest. Rodwell Arzu was also arrested, after he fired at police when police tried to arrest the two men.

Man who burned his bedding in ex’s living room acquitted of arson
A man who discovered that his common-law wife was having an affair with her ex-boyfriend and allegedly decided to burn his bedding in her living room, because he “did not want others sleeping on the bed” he had bought with his money, was cleared of the two indictments for arson after a jury deliberated for over four hours today, in the Supreme Court of Justice Adolph Lucas. As he stood in the prisoner’s dock, Ryan King, 36, looked relieved after Justice Lucas addressed him: “The jury has found you not guilty. They have arrived at a proper verdict. You are free to go. Go and sin no more.”

Police seek assistance to find mother’s brutal killer
San Pedro police are conducting an intense investigation to capture the killer or killers of Sylvia Carmen Benitez, 22, a resident of San Pedrito in San Pedro Town and the mother of three children. Benitez’s nude and decomposing body was found at about 11:00 Saturday morning, January 17, in an isolated and uninhabited area of Mata Grande, about 3 ½ miles north of San Pedro, 48 hours after she was reported missing by her concerned friends. Benitez was found by two men who were in the area who became aggravated by a terrible stench of rotting flesh and went to investigate what was causing the odor and that was when they found the decomposing body of a woman about 15 feet off the dirt road behind some bushes. She was found lying face-down in a shallow mud pond. She apparently had been killed elsewhere and her body disposed of in the area, said police.

Dangriga Warriors basketball friendly on Friday night
School Football / The final games of the secondary school football tournament in the Dangriga Zone took place on Friday, January 23, at the Carl Ramos Stadium. For the males, it was the final game of the second round to see who will advance to the Regional Tournament. Delille Academy won over ANRI by 4 goals to 2. Ervin Ramirez, Eaton Franciso, Dylan “Chris” Flores and Carlos Bent got one apiece for Delille Academy; while ANRI got a goal each from Sheldon Bernardez and Jerome Peters.

PLB 2014-2015 Closing Season kicks off this weekend
The Premier League of Belize (PLB) 2014-2015 Closing Season kicks off this weekend with 4 games scheduled. All 9 teams from last Opening Season are participating again in the Closing Season. According to the established format, the berth for Belize’s club representative in the CONCACAF Champions League 2015 will be determined between the two winners of the Opening and Closing Seasons, depending on which of the two champions has the most combined regular season points over both Opening and Closing Seasons. Of course, if the Bandits should win again, that would settle it; but if another team is victorious in the Closing Season, the Champions League berth would be decided between that team and the Bandits, based on total regular seasons’ points.

Athletics past and present – Bob Lightburn Holy Saturday Half Marathon
This year marks the revival of a prestigious and traditional race that was a big part of the Easter holidays. This race, spanning over 54 years, was known as the Annual Holy Saturday Half Marathon Classic. This race was won by many great and legendary runners over the years, runners like Joseph Carr, Eugene Mushlar, William Mahler, Aubrey Solomon, just to name a few; but the man that stands out, and is one of the earliest and a pioneer in this race, and who holds the record for the best time, and for long distance running on a whole, and whom this race was recently named after in his honor, is Mr. Bob Lightburn, who won this race 3 times. In 2011 the name of the race was changed to the “Bob Lightburn Annual Holy Saturday Half Marathon Classic.”

Tennis News – Youth Tournament, January 24, 2015
Nineteen youths from Hummingbird Elementary School, St. Mary’s Primary School, Horizon Academy, Belize Elementary School, and the City of Belmopan took part in the Red Category and Green U15 Category tennis tournament this past Saturday. With the Belize Tennis Association getting tennis into more primary schools, the participation is slowly but surely increasing, and more children are being exposed to this great sport. In the Red Category, which is played on a smaller scale court with the bigger and lower pressure balls, 14 participants played round-robin style. The top four who proceeded to the semifinals were James Courtenay, John Paul Jaramillo, Daniel Musa and Anthony Rudon. Daniel overcame Anthony Rudon, and James defeated John Paul to reach the finals. In the finals, little Daniel Musa took the victory over James Courtenay in a great match with long rallies, 15-9.

Editorial: PUDP and NTUCB
The National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB) will be holding elections for officer positions this weekend. These are important elections, because the NTUCB is a very important organization. The NTUCB has the power to challenge elected governments of Belize, even in a political system wherein the Prime Minister enjoys almost unlimited power. In order to become Prime Minister in Belize’s present political system, a system which is dominated by the major campaign financiers, which are individual, family, and corporate in nature, the Prime Ministerial aspirant must satisfy these major campaign financiers that his loyalty is to them, not to the masses of the Belizean people.

From the Publisher
One of my aunts on my father’s side, Chrystel Hyde Straughan, has been working on a book for some years. I’ve reached the point where I am eagerly awaiting publication of her work, for the reason that I believe a great deal of the book will feature conversations with her father, James Bartlett Hyde. His discourse should throw valuable light on the Robert Sydney Turton business empire, and RST’s personal thinking. At least, I hope so. My grandfather worked for Mr. Turton for many years, often traveling to the Gulf Coasts of Mexico and the United States on business for him. My grandfather’s father, Absalom Bartlett Hyde, born in 1853, was a blacksmith and machinist, and these skills became a family trademark. So that, Absalom Bartlett’s sons – Oliver Cromwell, Hughie, and their half-brother, James Bartlett, followed by Oliver Cromwell’s sons – Roland, Denham and Wallace, were all part of a Hyde machine and mechanic business on both sides of North Front Street, between Mapp and Douglas Jones Streets. The accountant and former PUP Cabinet Minister, Joe Coye, is the grandson of Oliver Cromwell Hyde, through Joe’s mother, while Joe Coye’s father, who owned the house and lot at the western corner of North Front Street and Douglas Jones, was yet another Bob Turton employee.

Wayne “Redboy” Uter’s beef
Dear Editor, Belizeans at home and abroad need to be aware of this practice by the Belize Department of Immigration, and the Permanent Mission to Belize here in New York. Please help us spread the news. On August 4 of 2008, we wrote you a letter to file a complaint about the lack of representation/service that we had received from the Permanent Mission to Belize here in New York. At that time the appointed Ambassador to the UN, in New York, was Mrs. Janine Coye-Felson, and Attaché Ms. Sharlene Henderson (current). Today, the new Ambassador is Ms. Lois Young. Please allow me to state the obvious and the facts. The Permanent Mission in New York was formed/created to represent the Belizean community here in the State of New York. The Mission and the people that are employed there were assigned there not just to represent the country, the Government and the interest of Belize, but to also serve the interest of the Belizean community in New York. In short, they work for us. We don’t work for them.

Unauthorized wiretapping is illegal and unconstitutional
Dear Editor, In most democratic countries in the world it is spelled out in the constitutions that their citizens have the right to privacy. This right to privacy is normally backed up by laws that have to do with citizens communicating with each other through letters, internet, radios, telephone or other means. The company that is facilitating the communication is being paid a service fee for the citizens to communicate, but they do not have the right to release what is being communicated without the written consent and approval of the person or persons involved. If that was to be done, the person or persons affected have the right to sue that company for damages. After 911 in the United States of America, this issue became a major issue and is still not fully resolved. The United States Government was trying to force the telephone companies to grant them access to people’s conversations so that they could monitor them to crack down on terrorism.

Taiwan announces 2015 scholarship opportunities
Taiwan has been a diplomatic ally of Belize since October 13, 1989, and for the past 12 years, that country has provided degree scholarships to hundreds of Belizeans while also providing them with a rich cultural experience on the picturesque Asian island of 23 million people which spans 14,400 square miles. Taiwan’s Ambassador to Belize, H.E. Benjamin Ho, said at the launch of the 2015 scholarship program at the Chateau Caribbean in Belize City today, that the bilateral cooperation program between the governments of Belize and Taiwan spans four fronts: infrastructure development (such as support for highways and sporting facilities, including the Marion Jones Sporting Complex); technical transfer (in areas such as ICT and agriculture); medicine; and human resource development. It is under the last category of cooperation that the scholarship program falls.

Wildlife ambassador seeks help for endangered scarlet macaw
The scarlet macaw (Ara macao cyanoptera) is endangered in Belize due to poaching, mostly by Guatemalans. According to the 2014 nesting report produced by Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD), the Chiquibul Forest is the key foraging and breeding habitat for the scarlet macaw, and the organization’s executive director, Rafael Manzanero, who says there are only about 100 pairs of the special birds left in Belize, is traveling to Taiwan for a week on a mission to get funding for projects to protect them. Taiwan’s Ambassador to Belize, H.E. Benjamin Ho, said that when he met Manzanero, he was very impressed by his conservation work. “I was so touched by what he shared that I arranged a visit for him to meet counterparts in Taiwan,” the Ambassador said.

Dominica becomes 4th country to join CCJ next month
Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit announced this week that his country plans to make the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) its final appellate court next month, February. The CCJ was established in 2001, and on February 15, 2003, Dominica signed the agreement establishing the Caribbean Court of Justice. The court was formally inaugurated in April 2005. Belize, Guyana and Barbados are the only three countries of CARICOM which have abolished the Privy Council and made the CCJ their final appellate court.

KHMH opens new Breast Cancer Diagnostic Unit
A brand new Breast Cancer Diagnostic Unit, which was made possible through a donation by international partners of the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH), was officially opened to the general public today. The new unit – which is inclusive of mammography and integral imaging equipment – is expected to boost the services provided by the country’s premier public health institution, and today, in the presence of KHMH executives, as well as representatives from the Belize Cancer Society, the Carolinas Healthcare System, and the Heineman Medical Outreach Foundation in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, the unit was dedicated in honor of Special Envoy for Women and Children, Mrs. Kim Simplis-Barrow, who, in her address, underscored the importance of having a Breast Cancer Diagnostic Unit.

Belize’s exports decline for 4th consecutive year
Information released by the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) indicates that Belize’s exports have declined in value for the 4th consecutive year, but 2014 registered the sharpest decline over the period spanning 2011-2014. “Total exported goods for the year in 2014 amounted to $602.9 million, down $57.2 million or 8.7 percent from last year’s earnings of $660 million,” said the SIB, attributing much of the decline to a fall in crude oil sales, by $37.9 million, from $140.1 million to $102.2 million (or 27%). It said that the decline in oil sales reflects both the fall in the number of barrels exported as well as the continuing decline in the price per barrel on the world market. However, the fall-off in world oil prices meant good news for consumers, particularly in December, when inflation actually registered at -0.4%, with an ease in food prices also contributing to negative inflation.

At age 15, girls cannot say “yes”
A 21-year-old man of the San Pedrito area of San Pedro, who is the boyfriend of a 15-year-old girl, is presently in police custody pending arraignment at the San Pedro Magistrate’s Court on charges of unlawful sexual intercourse with a female minor less than 16 years old. At about 11:30 Saturday morning, the girl and her mother went to police and reported that at about 11:30 Christmas Eve night, her boyfriend, 21 years old, took her to his house in San Pedrito and had sex with her. She told police that she went of her own free will and admitted that the man was her boyfriend. On Thursday, January 22, her mother took her to the San Pedro Polyclinic after the girl began feeling ill. There, she was examined by a doctor who confirmed that she was 4 weeks 3 days pregnant.

The Reporter

Police say public needs to be ready in the event Jasmine Alert is neccessary
The Jasmine Alert has not been triggered as there have been no credible reports of abductions but police are urging parents to teach their children basic information and have certain information available in any such real instance, Corporal Hortence Hernandez said. Hernandez said parents […]

Police says reports of abduction are unconfirmed
Reports that four students from the Queen Square Primary School were abducted on Thursday evening are unconfirmed as of Friday morning, as no parent has reported their children missing, Senior Superintendent Edward Broaster, deputy OC Easter Division said. Broaster said since the report was […]

US rejects Cuba demand to hand back Guantanamo Bay base
The US says it will not hand back the Guantanamo Bay naval base as part of efforts to improve relations with Cuba. Cuban President Raul Castro included a demand in a speech on Wednesday, calling for the US trade embargo to be lifted. US President Barack Obama “does believe that […]

Strength measured in steps
The record for the longest walk around the world is held by former neon sign salesman, Jean Beliveau. He walked 46,600 miles around 64 countries. It took him 11 years to do it all. Walking is viewed by some as a chore or a bother, […]

Chiquibul getting needed attention
The Chiquibul Forest Reserve will receive much needed protection from people who infiltrate its perimeters to illegally harvest, hunt, log or poach the vast natural resources that flourish therein. Through the efforts of an initiative established three years ago between Friends for Conservation (FCD) […]

BNE Trust Fund gives $250,000 for Health Improvement in Stann Creek andCorozal
The Belize Natural Energy Charitable Trust (BNECT) this week signed two agreements with the Ministry of Health to construct an annex to the Independence Poly Clinic in Stann Creek and to renovate the existing structure that houses the San Narciso Health Center in the […]

CWU says SSB at fault for workers not being paid
Christian Workers Union (CWU) President, Audrey Matura-Shepherd this week blamed Social Security Board (SSB) management for what she termed as acting in bad faith, resulting in over 300 SSB employees not receiving their salaries on the 26th as they are accustomed to. According to […]

GOB teams up with UNESCO and IUCN to save barrier reef
The Government of Belize has partnered with the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture to get the Belize Barrier Reef system off the endangered list. This week Government announced that it has prepared a draft […]

Food Industry in Belize brushes up on food standards
This week, stakeholders from the food industry gathered in Belmopan for a sensitization workshop on the CODEX Alimentarius Commission, the international body established to establish standards and best practices on food trade. The two-day workshop took place at the George Price Center on Wednesday and […]

BAHA seizes $600,000 worth of breeder hens to contain bird flu outbreak at Spanish Lookout
An outbreak of bird (Avian) flu detected in the Cayo District last weekend has sent BAHA, the Belize Agricultural Health Authorities into overdrive. Over the weekend BAHA confiscated 12,000 infected breeder hens, said to be worth $600,000. BAHA called an impromptu press conference to explain […]

Corozal market and Sports Complex to get facelift
A contract for the amount of $721,789, was signed this week, to be used for the upgrade of the Corozal Market and the Corozal Sports Complex. The funds were accessed through a loan from the World Bank under the Belize Municipal Development Project (BMDP). Help also came from the Corozal […]

Editorial
An outbreak of bird flu in Spanish Lookout this week may not represent a serious health threat to Belizeans, but it is a serious economic problem. The outbreak is serious for two reasons. More than 95 percent of all Belizeans eat chicken on a regular basis. It is the main […]

OW patrols increase following predator report - Kids lured with candy
Orange Walk police have increased their number of mobile and foot patrols in school zones since reports this week of two separate kidnapping attempts of students attending La Inmaculada RC Primary School. Orange Walk police say they are treating the matter very seriously and […]

Lab technician charged with sexual assault
Albert Genity, a Laboratory Techni-cian working at the Matron Robert’s Clinic in Belize City, was charged with sexual assault upon a woman. He appeared in court this Thursday to enter a not guilty plea and was represented by Attorney, Douglas Carr. According to the […]

Ladyville residents outraged! Used medical vials, syringes and needles discarded on street
On Tuesday residents of Ladyville were shocked and outraged to discover mounds of medical waste dumped on Janice Road in Ladyville. The discarded waste included vials of liquid, used syringes, needles, IV equipment and tubes with dried blood still inside. Ladyville Chairman, Albert Magdaleno was one of the first on […]

Allegations swirl around Dr. MarcoTulio Mendez
Rumours of sexual impropriety swirling against Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez reached a new level of importance on Thursday this week, after Orange Walk Police confirmed that they have received a formal complaint against him. Dr. Mendez is the elected PUP representative in the National Assembly for Orange Walk East. During […]

Patrick Jones

Ombudsman’s vehicle stolen and crashed
The office of Ombudsman Lionel Arzu is without a vehicle tonight after someone took the Nissan Xterra Trail SUV, Cayo license plates B-1719, for a joy ride. The incident happened this morning and the vehicle was crashed on Glynn Street behind Salvation Army Primary School and the Raymond Parks Night Shelter.

Police ask assistance of community over alleged abductions
As of this afternoon, Belize City police say they have received no reports from parents of students at Queen’s Square Anglican School or elsewhere reporting that any children of theirs are missing. Police received a statement, now in fact confirmed to be two joint statements, from students of the school reporting that four of their classmates – three girls and a boy – were put into a white van on Warrie Street, just around the corner from the school’s compound on Armadillo Street, and taken away.

American nurse failed to renew visitor’s permit
An American nurse must serve time in jail after admitting to a charge of failure to comply with the conditions of her visitor’s permit to Belize, namely failing to renew it on expiration. 38 year old Teassa Kenny arrived in Belize in October 2013 and her permit allowed her to stay in Belize for one year, until October of 2014. But upon expiration she did not renew the permit even while she continued to stay in Belize.

Man accused of stealing and selling friend’s knapsack
22 year old Joshua Conorquie is accused of stealing from a friend of his who accidentally forgot a knapsack at his Belize City residence on West Collet Canal. The male secretary pleaded not guilty to a charge of theft before Magistrate Herbert Panton and met bail of $500. According to Ramir Villanueva, around New Year’s Day he went alone to Chetumal, Mexico and on his return visited Conorquie, but he could not stay for long as he had to catch a boat to Caye Caulker. However, he was in a hurry and forgot the knapsack which contained one pair of Jordan brand slippers, one pair of Jordan brand tennis shoes, one Sean John t-shirt and one snap back hat.

Demonstrators call for resignation of Orange Walk East representative
A small demonstration was held this morning in Orange Walk town. According to reports, a handful of parents and concerned citizens gathered in front of the Orange Walkk town Hall calling for the resignation of the Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez, the area representative for Orange Walk East. More on this story later. […]

Renovated PG Magistrate’s Court inaugurated
The newly renovated Magistrate’s Court in Punta Gorda was inaugurated this morning in Punta Gorda town. After the courtroom was damaged by fire last year, the Magistrate’s Court has to be relocated and a renovation effort was commenced. The U.S. Embassy in Belize assisted with funding to complete […]

Police say no confirmation yet of abduction of children
The Deputy Officer Commanding Eastern Division Senior Superintendent Edward Broaster says police have yet to confirm abduction of children from Queen Square Anglican School. This is despite sending resources to area. Police are still investigating reports of the alleged abduction and are asking parents to make a report […]

Teenager found; returned to Belize City
The search for 15 year old Amanda Usher is over. Police today reported that the teen who was reported missing by her mother, was located on Thursday night in Dangriga town. Police say that “at about 7:30 p.m. 15-year-old Amanda Usher was found in Dangriga in good health and was […]

Blogs

The Most Beautiful Location on Ambergris Caye, Belize: Tranquility Bay Resort
A stay at “the last resort on the island”, Tranquility Bay Resort, is absolutely magical. 30 minutes away from San Pedro town by boat and you feel like you are in another world. Or that you’ve been transported back in time a bit – in the very best way. Arrival at the area called “The Aquarium”. At night, the lights under the dock attract fish and eagle rays galore. An arrival at the Ambergris Caye many once knew and fell in love with. Where the only sounds are the quiet roar of the waves on the reef, the palm trees rustling in the breeze and, once in a while, an eagle ray flapping out of the water. The 24 hours I just spent up there was absolutely idyllic. I do not exaggerate. Perfect.

Learn How to Make Belizean Conch Fritters
Conch meat is very popular in the Caribbean Islands as well as in Belize where it is usually made as a stew or soup and served with white rice or as an appetizer in the form of fritters. Today we will share with you how to make Belizean Conch Fritters. Prep Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 35 minutes Serving Size: 6-8 people

San Pedro Girls empowered by Shine and OWEM
The ancient African proverb It Takes A Village to Raise a Child definitely holds true in San Pedro. Life is a lot easier when you are part of a network of friends and family, a community, a neighborhood. I know countless people that play mom, dad, aunt or uncle to various kids. Our youth is an impressionable group and not always dealt the best hand in life. It is our job as adults within the community to help guide them forward to making smart choices and moving in positive directions. On Eagles Wings and Shine are 2 great organizations that are coming together to help educate young girls and give them the spiritual and emotional necessities the need to live a happy and productive life. On Eagles Wings Ministries, based out of the USA, is expanding their reach to San Pedro. Since 2008, their mission has been to provide hope, empowerment, and a brighter future to females that have been sexually exploited and to those at risk of exploitation.

“Like a Virgin” in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize.
If I may use the term loosely (and I mean VERY loosely) I’ve been suffering from writer’s block recently. I’ve still been spending my early morning quality ‘me time’ out on the veranda, the western, lagoon facing one with a mug of black (instant) coffee and the iPad. Clothed appropriately – because the mornings (and evenings too for that matter) have been, to say the least, a little chilly- in a sweat top. But , try as I might, I couldn’t think of anything to write about that had a semblance of reason (( I know, I know that most of what I write could be described as the ramblings of a troubled mind but I do like to think (misguidedly perhaps) that somewhere within an edition is a theme)).

International Sources

Caribbean Tourism Officials Expect Arrivals Growth To Continue In 2015
Tourism officials and stakeholders in destinations across the Caribbean anticipate continued visitor arrivals increases in 2015 following a 2014 season marked by consistent growth. Attendees at this week’s Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) Caribbean Travel Marketplace conference issued statistics that detail the region’s arrivals growth over the past year. Overall, Caribbean hotels posted year-over-year increases in occupancy, average daily rate (ADR) and revenue per available room (RevPAR) in 2014, according to travel research firm STR. Caribbean hotel occupancy increased 1.5 percent to 68 percent; ADR climbed 6.4 percent to $194.66 and RevPAR rose eight percent to $132.28 in 2014. Caribbean hotels also generated RevPAR increases of more than 10 percent in January, April and May, and the same hotels also posted positive ADR and RevPAR figures in every month of 2014, said STR officials.

Caribbean Tales Incubator - Program for Audio - visual Entrepreneurs
Great opportunity for the next generation of filmmakers ....develop it, pitch it, produce it! The CaribbeanTales Incubator (CTI) is a year-round training program that aims to develop strong, original, sustainable film and television content from the Caribbean and its diaspora for sale and distribution in the international market.

Videos

The Red Hut Inn Hotel - Belize City, 3min.

Rumors Resort Hotel - San Ignacio - Belize, 2min.

La Perla del Caribe, Hotels in San Pedro, Sarteneja, Belize, 1min.

Jaguar Reef Lodge Spa Hotel - Hopkins - Belize, 2min.

Best Western Belize Biltmore Plaza Hotel - Belize City, 2min.

Captain Morgans Retreat Hotel - San Pedro - Belize, 2min.

Macaw Bank Jungle Lodge Hotel - San Ignacio - Belize, 2min.

DRIVING AROUND BELIZE CITY, BELIZE, 7.5min.

Belize Diving 2015, 11min. Blue Hole, Hol Chan, Half Moon Caye.

Turneffe Island Resort Hotel - Belize, 3min.

GMU - George Mason University - Belize Trip 2014 - Student Video, 13min.

Early Morning in Belize City., 1min. Belize City. Early Morning watching the Pelicans feed and the Boats roll in.

Elizabeth Place Hotel - Belize City, 2min.

You Better Belize It, 9min.

Belize, 5.5min.

SUPA G - Party Insane (Official Music Video), 3min. The official music video for "Party Insane" -- the first single from the upcoming new album! Directors: Ben Popik & Joanna Popik of Island Films

Guatemala and Belize - Chesapeake Semester 2014,10 min.

Belize - San Pedro Island, 15min.

Portofino Beach Resort Hotel - San Pedro - Belize, 3.5min.

Grand Caribe Belize Hotel - San Pedro, 3.5min.

Barrier Reef Resort Hotel - San Pedro - Belize, 3min.

Island Magic Beach Resort Hotel - Caye Caulker - Belize, 3.5min.

Orchid Garden Eco-Village Hotel Belize - Tropical Park, 3.5min.

Latitude Adjustment - Hopkins - Belize, 1.5min.

Thatch Caye Resort Hotel - Dangriga - Belize, 2min.

Green Parrot Beach Houses and Resort Hotel - Maya Beach - Belize, 3.5min.

Gulf Hotel I - Belize City, 2.5min.

Skydiving the Great Blue Hole in Belize, 8.5min.

Kimbers Banana Cabana Hotel - Caye Caulker - Belize, 2min.

Casitas Calinas Hotel - Teakettle Village - Belize, 2.5min.

Mayan Princess Hotel - San Pedro - Belize, 2min.

January 30, 2015

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

TripAdvisor’s 2015 Travellers’ Choice Awards
Belize City, Belize – January 29, 2015 – Once again, properties around Belize have earned top spots in TripAdvisor’s “2015 Travellers’ Choice Awards.” The Belize Tourism Board (BTB) would like to congratulate all the properties for their well-deserved awards. The categories are: Top 25 Hotels – Central America #8 Victoria House – San Pedro #14 Coco Beach Resort – San Pedro #15 Grand Caribe Belize Resort and Condominiums – San Pedro #22 Las Terrazas Resort – San Pedro #23 Belize Ocean Club – Placencia

GOB to work towards removing the Barrier Reef from the “Sites in Danger” list
A team from the World Heritage Centre (WHC), in collaboration with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) were recently in Belize accessing the environmental status of the Barrier Reef. From January 19th to the 23rd, the team carried out studies in order to provide technical assistance to the Government of Belize (GOB) for the design of a conservation outline for the reef. The outline is aimed at spearheading an initiative for the removal of the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System from the List of World Heritage Sites (WHS) in Danger.

The four men accused in Belize’s largest heroin bust are out on bail
The four men accused of being involved in the biggest heroin bust in Belizean history are out on bail. 32-year-old Jose Antonio Lara, fisherman of Julio Street of San Pedro Town; 35-year-old Heider Martin Perez, Accountant of San Pedro Town; 30-year-old Lennon Leonardo Tillett of Belize and 42-year-old Gerardo Allen of Caye Caulker Village all successfully got bail on Friday January 23rd following a ruling by Supreme Court Judge Justice Troadio Gonzalez. The men were caught at the entrance of Corozal Town in northern Belize on the morning of Tuesday, January 13th. They were arrested by police after authorities searched a vehicle they were allegedly travelling in. Police claim that they found 15 parcels of what appeared to be suspected heroin equivalent to about 40 pounds, and with an estimated street value of $12 million.

Over 2,600 rounds of ammunition stolen from BDF storage bay
Who stole over 2,600 rounds of ammunition from the Belize Defense Force (BDF) storage bay? That is the question everyone is asking after news broke out on Friday January 23rd that ammunition belonging to the United States Government and stored by the BDF, was stolen, and more disturbingly possibly by BDF personnel. It is believed that the deadly ammunition has made its way to the streets of Belize. According to the BDF Chief of Staff, Lieutenant Colonel Raymond Shepherd, a regular patrol at the Echelon Storage in Lords Bank discovered a breach of the holding bay sometime around 1:30AM on Friday January 23. He explained that a total of 1,680 – 5.56 and 1,000 – 7.62 ammunition shells were missing. According to Shepherd, the last time an inventory was made was on December 7, 2014 and was 100% accounted for.

Misc Belizean Sources

Green Iguana season ends Feb 1
The molestation, capturing, illegal hunting and the indiscriminate killing of Green Iguanas (Iguana iguana) commonly referred to as Guana, Bamboo Chicken, Garobo, Iguana is prohibited from February 1st to June 30th. The female iguanas are caring for developing eggs during these months. The Machaca Forest Station can be contacted for any reports at telephone number 702-2765 or via email at [email protected]

Coffee plants for sale
I have around 150 - 200 coffee plants in bags size is 1 foot. Caturra Variety. Price is $5.00 each or best price for large quantities. These are the dwarf ones, will bear in one year time. Interested call 665-0043 or inbox me. *This is a mutation of the Bourbon variety, found near the town of Caturra, Brazil in the 1930s. It produces a higher yield than Bourbon, and this is generally due to the plant being shorter and with less distance between the branches. A relatively recently selected botanical variety of the Coffea arabica species that generally matures more quickly, produces more coffee, and is more disease resistant than older, traditional arabica varieties.

Mo' Mojo finishes Belize tour
And that's a wrap!!! Last night Mo' Mojo performed their last concert in Belize at the San Ignacio Welcome Center, and it was great!!! We wish the group much success as they continue their American Voices Abroad Tour with the U.S. Embassy in Panamá! Pictured below Ambassador Moreno poses with Mo' Mojo at last night's concert.

Corozal Bay Sailing Club Upcoming Regatta
sounds like tons of fun!!

Channel 7

Police Investigate Story of Abducted Schoolchildren
Tonight, Belize City precinct one police have put out an all points bulletin for a white van which reportedly abducted four primary school students today: three females and one male - all from Queen Square Anglican school. Police have confirmed that they received the report from one female student who managed to get away. She is giving the police a statement right now. The report says the alleged abduction happened right in front of Queen Square Anglican after school this evening. Police received the report around 4:30 pm but could not say precisely when it happened and neither did they have any identity of the children. But, they are taking it seriously.

Outlaws in Griga! Carjacking, Rape, and Police Shootout
Tonight Dangriga Police have one man in custody and are looking for another after a ruthless carjacking and rape in that southern town. It happened on Sunday night at 8:00 pm when a man and his female passenger were in a car turning into the Benguche area and someone stoned the vehicle. He got out to see what had happened and that's when two men: one carrying a knife, the other, a gun - walked up to the vehicle, ordered the driver back inside, and ordered him to drive to the Cemetery area. When they got there, the men tied them both up and then both of them anally raped the 25-year-old female. The men then robbed them of their valuables, and drove off in the car, leaving the two victims there.

Desho Gabourel Convicted of Grievous Harm, Fined But Not Confined
57 year-old Dennis "Desho" Gabourel, who had to go public to dispel rumors that he was somehow responsible for the fire which killed his mother, 82 year Erceline Gabourel, is steering down a hefty fine after he was sentenced to pay $10,000 for a conviction of grievous harm in the Supreme Court. He was accused raping a woman and then coming back and beating her. The incidents happened more than 10 years ago, on September 19, 2003. The victim testified that at around 12:30 a.m., she finished her work at the KHMH and asked Gabourel for a ride home. But she claims that instead of taking her home, Gabourel drove her to the "hangar" area near to the Belize City Municipal Airport where he raped her. He took her home afterwards, and a few hours later when she went to the backdoor, she was surprised to see Gabourel there. She says that he forced his way in, knocked her unconscious and she woke up bleeding from the nose, with a swollen eye.

Accused of Making Off With Melonie's Money, Saldivar Settles With Coye
His political career and personal integrity was placed in jeopardy, but tonight embattled attorney and politician, Arthur Saldivar is in the clear after his former client Melonie Coye stopped pressing a civil case against him. The claim was that he pocketed a little over 900 thousand dollars of her family's money, after it was returned by the Financial Intelligence Unit. Viewers may remember this was money which the Court of Appeal ordered the FIU to return to the Coyes after they successfully appealed their money laundering conviction. This allegation formed the basis by which the People's United Party dismissed Saldivar as Standard Bearer for Belize Rural North. And as we told you at the end of November when the case went to court, it took a very strange and unexplained twist.

ATM Shakedown Cops Get Off
They were accused in the famous ATM shakedown, but today three police officers walked out of court free and clear of theft charges. 22 year old businessman Thyrell Hyde reported that in September of 2013, the officers arrested him, took him to the ATM -forced him to surrender his PIN number and then withdrew money from his account. It was all caught on camera - and so you might be asking how come they got off? Well, it seems Hyde and the officers reached an understanding because today the magistrate received instructions that he wanted no further action against the officers. With that, Magistrate Dale Cayetano struck out the case against 43 year old Corporal Reymundo Requena, 31 year old Special Constable, Joslyn Gill and 31 year old PC Edgar Teul and they were free to go. Reports say that one month ago in December of 2014, the cops and Hyde were at the negotiating table working on a settlement.

NTUCB Protests: Blocks SSB Board Meeting
The Social Security Board of directors was supposed to meet today - and they were supposed to welcome two new board members, but the meeting had to be aborted because they couldn't get a quorum. And that's because the two union representatives did not show up in protest - and a board meeting cannot be held without at least one board member present. The National Trade Union Congress is protesting because one of its new designates to the board, CWU General Secretary Floyd Neal had his appointment rejected by government. SSB says it would be a conflict of interest because as Secretary General of the Christian Workers Union, Neal also represents and is a principal negotiator on behalf of the Social Security workers. And because of that the Board asked the NTUCB to submit another name. But the NTUCB held its ground and advised SSB that their appointed directors will not be attending board meetings until Neal has been formally appointed.

Help For Hostel
On this newscast, we often report in passing on the youth hostel - to say that troubled children have been sent there. Now, they'll have a new dormitory and resource center which were officially opened at this morning. These new facilities are supposed to create an environment for at-risk youth to develop into positive and productive citizens. That's the objective, but based on anecdotal evidence -many of these children end up back in the hostel after they are released, back in the same toxic settings they were taken from or... in prison. Director of the Community Rehabilitation Department says she is aware of this reality but that it only inspires her and her team to work harder with these kids. I found out more when I visited today:.. Anneke Jessen, IDB Country Representative "I think it's very important to underline that what we are trying to accomplish here is important, not only for the young people who reside here, but also for the impact we can have on the communities where they come from and other communities into which they go when they leave these facilities."

Mother Wants Her Teenaged Daughter To Come Home
15 year old Amanda Usher is missing tonight. Her mother reported to police that the third form Maud Williams High student left home last Thursday and has not returned since. According to her mother this is the second time Usher has left home and she is concerned because she has not been able to reach her nor has Usher been in contact with any family member. She told Monica Bodden more today:.. Elizabeth Welch, Mother of missing girl "I would like anybody who knows where she is to call me or go to the police station, because she is not going to school and she is a smart girl, she is in 3rd form. I don't know what to say, but I am pleading to public to please, if they know where Amanda Usher is, my daughter. Please contact me at 667-6397 or call the police. She is a smart girl. I don't know what is the problem. She doesn't need anything, so I don't know what is the problem why she did this to me.

Clinic Workers accused of Sexual Harassment
47 year-old Albert Jennity is out on bail tonight after he was taken to court after being accused of sexual harassment in the workplace. A woman he works with reported to police that last week Friday, January 23, she went to her workplace at Matron Roberts polyclinic where she met Jennity. She alleged that Jennity touched her inappropriately. Police investigated the report and charged him with 1 count of sexual assault. He was arraigned today before Magistrate Dale Cayetano, where he pleaded not guilty. The prosecutor objected to bail, but after listening to the submissions of his defence attorney, Magistrate Cayetano granted him bail of $5,000.

PUP Leader Picks Chebat For Cayo North
Michel Chebat has been installed as the new PUP standard bearer for Cayo North. The PUP's National Party Council chose not to bother with a costly and possibly contentious convention and entrusted the party leader Francis Fonseca with the power to make an appointment. We are told he did so after consultation with other leaders in the west. A ceremony to officially endorse him was held this afternoon at the party's divisional headquarters on the Bullett Tree Road in san Ignacio. The move for the PUP is a no-brainer after Richard Harrison was wiped out in the bye-election earlier this month. Chebat had briefly expressed an active interest in that seat but pulled out before the bye-election to make way for Harrison.

Belize Scores Big In Trip Advisor Awards
Today, Trip Advisor released its list of winners for the 2015 Travelers' Choice Award. On this year's list, there are about 32 Belizean hotels and resorts which have been chosen by guests who left with a very good impression. Of course, this kind positive publicity is always welcomed by the Belize Tourism Board, and today, the Acting Director of Public Relations and Marketing told us that a prestigious award such as this helps the overall tourism product of the country: Karen Pike, Acting Director of Marketing and Industry Relations "The BTB would like to congratulate our hotels who have won the awards on the Trip Advisors 2015 Travelers Choice Awards. We have properties that have ranked in the top 25 small hotels in Central America. Top 25 hotels for romance in Central America, as well as top 25 hotels for service in Central America, amongst other categories. We are pleased that they have been recognized because we realize that it's so hard for them, its hard work to be ranked and to the ranked in the world as well as the region."

AA From LA, Red Eye Style
And, now, visitors will have one more way to get to Belize. American Airlines has announced a direct weekend flight to and from Los Angeles. The new flight starts on June 6, 2015, on Saturdays and Sundays when the flight leaves Belize at 8:55 am and arrives in Los Angeles at 1:10 pm local time. The Los Angeles flight is a red-eye: it leaves at 12:30 am and arrives in Belize at 6:10 am local time.

When A House Is A Home
Today, The Hand in Hand Ministries handed over their two hundred and fiftieth house to a well-deserving and needy family living in Lords Bank Village. The Garcia family was living in a plywood and zinc house which was rotting, unstable, and prone to leaks. Worse than that, the flooring of their house was bare mud, which made the rainy season very difficult for the family which has 3 young girls. This afternoon, they received the key to their brand new house, and 7News was there. Daniel Ortiz reports: Daniel Ortiz reporting Meet Luis Garcia, his wife, Jessica and his 3 daughters. This new family lived in the grey house to the right for the past 3 years. Luis Chan calls it a dry weather home.

BNE Breaks The Bank For Health
Health clinics will be given an upgrade with about four hundred thousand dollars in funds from the BELIZE Natural Energy Charitable Trust. On Tuesday, they signed two Agreements to construct an annex to the Independence Poly Clinic and to renovate the existing structure that houses the San Narciso Health Center located in the Corozal District. The Independence Poly Clinic got grant funding of $250,000.000 and $82,000.00 will got to san Narciso.

Channel 5

Mendez Attorney Says He Will Be Charged
Tonight, there is little additional information about the serious allegations being made against Doctor Marco Tulio Mendez, the elected representative of Orange Walk East. Reliable information to News Five is [...]

Michel Chebat is P.U.P. Cayo North Stand Bearer
There is one more bit of information from the P.U.P. and that is that there is a new P.U.P. Standard Bearer in Cayo North and it is not Richard Harrison, [...]

Saldivar’s $900,000 Case Settled
Tonight, there is news on Arthur Saldivar, the flamboyant, very visible attorney who’s been invisible since September 2014. Saldivar was accused of making off with close to a million dollars [...]

Corrupt Cops Caught on Camera Settle Out of Court
There is another settlement out of court to report tonight. It involves three police officers who, back in September 2013, were accused of stealing money from businessman, twenty-two year old [...]

Man Charged for Rape in Dangriga
Heading south…There is very unsettling news to report out of Dangriga. Twenty-two year old Robert Taylor of Monument Site in Dangriga was arrested and charged for the crimes of rape [...]

Body of Murdered Honduran Woman to be Exhumed
Twelve days after she was buried three and a half miles north of San Pedro in the Grand Caribe Estate area, the body of Honduran national Silvia del Carmen Benitez, [...]

Reports of Kidnapping in the City
Tonight News Five has confirmed that Police are investigating a report that four students of the Queen’s Square Anglican School were abducted in a white van. That report was made [...]

N.T.U.C.B. Boycotts S.S.B. Meeting
The Social Security Board is tonight at odds with the N.T.U.C.B. and had to call off a scheduled meeting of the board. That’s because the directors of the N.T.U.C.B. boycotted [...]

UWI Hosts Seminar on Constitutional Rights
Today, the University of the West Indies hosted a forum entitled ‘the Impact of the Magna Carta on Human rights in Belize.’ The Magna Carta is a document signed in [...]

Bradley says Discussions Critical to Hold Policy-makers Accountable
The conference this morning, attended by many students and observers, included a distinguished panel of speakers who made the connection between the revered document signed eight hundred years ago and [...]

Belizean Resorts Score Big on Trip Advisor
A release from the Belize Tourism Board says that American Airlines will be adding additional flights to and from Belize. Starting later this year on June six, travelers will be [...]

Gabourel Fined for Grievous Harm
Dennis Gabourel, the businessman who was accused back in 2003 of raping a nurse then beating her up after he pursued her to her home, was today sentenced by Justice [...]

Lab Tech Charged for Sexual Assault
A Laboratory Technician was before the court to answer to a single charge of sexual assault. Forty seven year old Albert Genitty was escorted in court in hand cuffs and [...]

Belize City Teen Reported Missing
The sister of Leonard “Ghost” Myers, slain George Street boss, is missing. Amanda Usher, a fifteen year old girl from Berkeley Street is missing. On Wednesday, Elizabeth Welch reported to [...]

Dickie Bradley on the Gun Law
Earlier we told you about the seminar being held under the auspices of the University of the West Indies. The purpose of the day-long session is basically to determine how [...]

Lord’s Bank Family Has A New Home
A Lord Bank’s family is tonight safe and comfortable in their new living quarters. That is because, working along with volunteers from the Hand and Hand Ministries, the Garcias were [...]

Musical Instruments for Salvation Army
Salvation Army Primary School showed off this morning some shiny, new music instruments that they were able to purchase courtesy of Atlantic Bank International Limited. Among the musicals pieces from [...]

Youth Hostel Launches Public Safety Program
In late November, the Getaway Youth Center was officially opened at the Gwen Lizarraga Compound in Belize City. The initiative is aimed at assisting youths to safely develop skills to [...]

The General Premieres New Video
Mega Belizean Punta Rock Artist, Supa G, is going “mad” with his latest track, “Party Insane.” The song came on the scene last year when Bowen and Bowen promoted the [...]

Healthy Living Looks at Breaking Bad Habits
Breaking a bad habit is hard; equally difficult is creating a new habit. Once habits become automatic it feels like we’re just wired to do the things we do. While, [...]

CTV3

Venezuela's Ambassador Speaks On Petro Caribe Program
Belize signed on to the Petrocaribe oil alliance with Venezuela in 2005 and since then government has received millions of dollars under the agreement, money that is expected to be invested in social projects geared at poverty alleviation and improved infrastructure to improve the standard of living for communities in the countries that have signed with Venezuela. Towards the end of 2014, it was reported that falling oil prices would force Venezuela to sell the Petrocaribe debts, in other words, securitize these debts. What this meant then is that the program would close and Belize would therefore cease to benefit from the program. In an interview with His Excellency Yoel del Valle Perez Marcano, Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to Belize said the program will not cease.

LOVE FM

Magna Carta; Foundation To Support Freedom
A fundamental document was discussed today at the University of the West Indies Campus in Belize City that dates back eight centuries. That document, called the Magna Carta has been referred to as the foundation stone that supports the freedoms granted to hundreds of millions of people in over one hundred countries. At this point, you may wonder how these discussions came about in Belize; Jane Bennett, Head of the UWI Open Campus Belize told us that it was an invitation from the UWI Saint Augustine Campus. JANE BENNETT “It was a request from a colleague Dr.Hamis Gani who is in our St.Augistine Campus in Trinidad he communicated the desire to include Belize in a tour of the Caribbean countries where the Magna Carta would be discussed either in distinguished lectures or paneled discussions to give the populace an opportunity to be aware of this magnificent document and how it can shape our judicial systems and how it is addressing the rights of human beings to have those rights respected and not violated and so Belize was one of the territories that was selected from around the Caribbean and among the common wealth countries to have these discussions.

MISSING! 15 Year Old Female Minor
A mother of nine was in tears this morning as Love News visited her to talk to her about her missing daughter. The mother, Elizabeth Welch, had gone to the station yesterday to make an official report after days of conducting her own investigations into her child’s whereabouts. According to Welch, while this is not the first time that 15-year-old, Amanda Usher has stayed away from home, she was always comforted by the fact that she was at her aunt’s house and did not miss classes … but this time around, that is not the case as Amanda has not been attending classes and no family member or close friend know of her whereabouts. ELIZABETH WELCH “The last time she left was last week Thursday she went to Orange Walk to do some errands for my daughter and she came back the Thursday night and I lent her my key to open the gate and then on Friday morning when I went there she had left already. So from that day I have not heard anything from here up to today and she is not going to school either and none of her friends know where she is. The friend that I know the two little girls come and speak to me because they are concerned too and family members have not seen her either. She went to my sister the week before last and her daughter dropped her out here and she did not call me so I don’t know what happened from then until now.”

SSB Denies NTUCB Board Representative
Tonight the National Teachers’ Union Congress of Belize and the Social Security Board are bucking heads following SSB’s decision to accept only two of the three nominees submitted by the NTUCB, to sit on the board as representatives of the union. The SSB, in a release issued this afternoon, stated that they had informed the NTUCB that the representation of Floyd Neal would prove to be a conflict of interest when several factors are taken into consideration. Love News spoke with Douglas Singh, the Chairman of the Social Security Board, who explained those factors. DOUGLAS SINGH “When we negotiate with Christian Workers Union we negotiate with the Chief Shop Steward from Social Security and any other representatives that they have, the President and General Secretary of the Union. What that meant is that Mr. Floyd Neal would be on the other side of the table negotiating on behalf of the employees. It is absolutely not practical to have that same person sitting in the board meetings when these matters have to be discussed in other capacity so that was one consideration but that is only a part of it.

Trip Advisory 2015 Traveler’s Choice Awards; 20Hotels in Belize Listed
Trip Advisor’s has release its “2015 Travelers’ Choice Awards” list and more than twenty hotels in Belize made it in top spots. Of the awardees, The Phoenix Resort in San Pedro placed 1st in the Top 10 Luxury Hotels in Central America. It placed 2nd in the Top 10 Luxury Hotels in the world and in the top 25 small hotels in Central America. Hamansi Adventure and Dive Resort in Hopkins placed 1st in the Top 25 small hotels in Central America and also placed first in the top 25 hotels for service in Central America. Acting director of Marketing and Industry, Karen Pike, told us what this means for the tourism industry in Belize. KAREN PIKE “The BTB would like to congratulate our hotels who have won their awards in the Trip Advisory 2015 Travelers Choice Awards. We have properties that have ranked in the top 25 small hotels in Central America, Top 25 hotels for Romance in Central America as well as Top 25 hotels for service in Central America among other categories. We pleased that they have been recognized because we realize that it is so hard for them, its hard work for them to be ranked in the world as well as the region so what this means for Belize is that we can increase our visitor arrival figures. We had record figures for last year and so we are hoping that with awards such as these and recognition other travels will hear of our hotels and make plans to come to Belize and increase our numbers even further.”

PlusTV

Melonie Coye and Arthur Saldivar reach settlement in money dispute
Former Belize Rural North Standard Bearer for the People’s United Party (PUP), Arthur Saldivar, and his former clients Melonie and Marlene Coye, have apparently reached a settlement in their dispute over some $900,000 that Coye claimed Saldivar withheld from her when they went to collect the over $1.5 million in cash stored in the Central Bank, which the Court of Appeal had ordered returned to Coye and her family last March, after their appeal against a money laundering conviction vlcsnap-2015-01-30-05h10m52s182was upheld and the conviction overturned. This and other allegations had led to the PUP first suspending, then stripping Arthur Saldivar of his Standard Bearership, after an internal investigation.

Police had shoot out with rape suspects in Dangriga
A 25-year-old woman of Dangriga was reportedly raped on Sunday January 25, 2015. She told police that at about 8:00 p.m. that night, she was along with a friend in his vehicle, whom she had asked to take her to the Benguche Area in Dangriga. While he was driving on Front Street, Dangriga Town, he made a left turn driving in a Western direction on an unknown street leading to Casa Bridge, and while travelling on the street she heard a banging sound of a rock hitting underneath the vehicle. The driver then stopped the vehicle to make checks and while he was doing so two armed masked men approached the vehicle. The first one was a dark skin man who was armed with a knife, and the other was a fair skinned man who was armed with a hand gun. The men then ordered the driver back into the vehicle, where he was instructed to drive the vehicle near the cemetery to where the former Putt Putt bar use to be. When they got there, the driver and the woman were both tied up by the men and both men sodomised the woman.

Dennis Gabourel fined for grievous harm
On Wednesday we told you of 57 year old Dennis Gabourel, who was acquitted of the rape of his former common-law wife, but convicted of causing grievous harm by a jury of nine. However on appearing in court on Thursday for sentencing, he avoided jail time and got a fine of $10,000 to be paid by March 31, in default three years in prison, and was also ordered to pay compensation of $3,000 to the complainant by June 30, 2015. Justice Troadio Gonzalez, presiding, agreed with Mr Gabourel’s attorney, Senior Counsel Simeon Sampson, that a fine rather than a custodial sentence should be imposed to keep the prison from being clogged with prisoners serving time for this and similar offenses.

2015 Taiwan Scholarships to be handed out
The official 2015 scholarship program briefing for the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in Belize and Belize-Taiwan ICDF Program scholarships was held Wednesday morning in Belize City. Some 258 persons have accepted scholarships for study in the Far East country. and more than 120 students have finished their programs and returned to Belize to work. Members of that group and interested persons attended the briefing to learn more about degrees in eleven Bachelor-level programs, 20 Master’s-level programs and 2 Ph. D.-level programs at 21 Taiwanese universities.

PUP National Executive updates on Marco Tulio Mendez allegations
Late Wednesday evening, a meeting of the National Executive of the People’s United Party (PUP) concluded, and leader Francis Fonseca addressed the press downstairs of Independence Hall. One of the topics on the agenda were the swirling allegations of impropriety against Orange Walk East Area Representative Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez, which have reportedly now expanded to include reported criminal reports of indecent sexual assault on minors. Police have made no formal statements and the matter is “evolving and fluid” in the phrase of Fonseca, who reiterated that so far nothing formal has come to his attention personally or that of the party, and they treat what has been said as rumours and speculation, but very serious nonetheless.

Landfill program to benefit Southside residents
The Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation, headed by Minister Anthony Martinez, is spearheading a project on Southside Belize City to provide landfill to residents of the Port Loyola, Lake Independence, Collet and Pickstock divisions. On Wednesday morning, the Minister of State in the Ministry and Lake Independence Area Representative, Mark King, kicked off his leg of the project a few days ahead of schedule. Minister King spoke to us about how the project will work. “Today we are launching the landfill program in Lake I. As you know this year we had a lot of rains and we also have a lot of flooding in these Southside areas. So, really and truly this Is a project that is sponsored by OPEC. It is ran by the Senior Minister in Human Development, Minister Martinez, and it includes four Constituencies: Lake I, Collet, Port Loyola and Pickstock.

More cannabis found in open lots
Early on the morning of Wednesday January 28, personnel from Precinct One Eastern Division and K9 Unit conducted a joint anti-drug/firearm operation within Precinct One area. During the operation, searches were conducted at an open lot on Magazine Road, Belize City, and also in an open lot on Conch Shell Bay, which resulted in the discovery of a total of 643 grams of suspected cannabis. The drugs were deposited and labelled as “Found Property”.

Dennis Gabourel convicted of grievous harm after three trials
57 year old Dennis Gabourel, a Belize City businessman and taxi operator, was charged with rape and grievous harm of his former common-law wife, but he was only convicted of the latter charge on Wednesday, after a jury of seven men and two women returned a unanimous verdict of guilty in the court of Justice Troadio Gonzalez. The jury deliberated for two hours before announcing its unanimous verdict of guilty of grievous harm and 8 to 1 in favour of not guilty of rape.

Man jailed for dangerous harm after stabbing
On Wednesday, his attacker, 34 year old Nathaniel Thomas Jr., pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous harm in the court of Supreme Court Justice Troadio Gonzalez. He will serve four years in prison after Justice Gonzalez agreed to his plea in mitigation, that time served on remand of three years be subtracted from his sentence. The charge carries a sentence of seven years in prison.

Patrick Jones

Teenage girl reported missing by her mother
A 15 year old girl from Belize City has been reported missing by her mother. According to a report made to the police on Wednesday, Amanda Usher, a resident of Berkley Street was last seen at about 7:40 pm on January 19 when she went to bed. The girl, according […]

Infrastructure upgrade at Louisiana Government School
Bathroom facilities were inaugurated today at the Louisiana Government School in the Orange Walk district. The bathrooms are part of an overall project to upgrade of the school’s football field, which was done with the assistance of the Belize Natural Energy Charitable Trust and the private sector. The UDP standard […]

GSU recovers .45 caliber pistol; two arrested
The Gang Suppression Unit on Wednesday arrested a man and a woman after a semi automatic pistol was found during a search conducted in the Kontiki Area of San Ignacio town. They are 51 ear old Bernard Vasquez and 47 year old Virginia Lizama. Police say that a search by […]

Attorney Arthur Saldivar and former client settle money dispute
“Over is over,” were the words of Senior Counsel Hubert Elrington to reporters at the conclusion of what was billed as a case management conference in the case of Melonie Coye vs Arthur Saldivar. Saldivar was the attorney for the Coye family and associates in their landmark victory […]

PUP installs Michel Chebat as standard bearer in Cayo North
The People’s United Party (PUP) this afternoon endorsed and installed attorney-at-law Michel Chebat as its Standard Bearer for the Cayo North division. A brief ceremony was held this afternoon at the PUP office on Bullet Tree Road where PUP Leader Francis Fonseca was present for the installation […]

Culture Day held at St. Hilda’s Anglican School
Today, the students and teachers of St. Hilda’s Anglican primary school in Georgeville hosted a cultural day at their compound. The day’s activities included a presentation by a visiting group from the Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic School in Bullet Tree Falls village depicting the hog head dance. Vice principal of […]

Attorney says claim against Arthur Saldivar is over
Attorney for Arthur Saldivar, Hubert Elrington says the claim against his client “is over” after an order to discontinue was filed before Justice Shona Griffith. The parties have reached ab undisclosed settlement.

Escaped prisoner shot during his recapture
Twenty five year old Emmanuel Willoughby’s run for freedom from prison ended in a hail of gunfire last night in Belize City. Police say they intercepted Willoughby around seven thirty last night on Arlington Drive during routine operations. Superintendent Hilberto Romero today gave reporters the details of the capture of Willoughby saying that when officers intercepted the escaped prisoner, he had an object in his hand resembling a firearm. Police say Willoughby was ordered to surrender but he refused.

Blogs

The Guava Limb Café Is One Of The Best Restaurants In Belize
The Travel Channel thinks this delightful San Ignacio dining spot is tops! Our regular readers know how enthusiastic we are about the growth of a sophisticated foodie culture in Western Belize, where farm fresh ingredients, livestock reared on rich tropical pastures and fresh Caribbean seafood are being combined with traditional recipes and innovative flair to create dishes ranging from the satisfyingly simple to the extraordinary. A perfect example of this is the Guava Limb Café near San Ignacio’s breezy riverside parks. With healthy taste-tempers such as juicy snapper fillet burgers, herbed roast pork tenderloin, creative lobster and seafood dishes as well as an array of steaks, seafood, curries and pasta meals, the range of Guava Limb’s offerings are as varied and wonderful as Belize itself.

The Unfamiliarly Familiar In Belize
We are certain you have seen sunrises at home. What a wonderful moment in time. Sunrise. The moment the religious give thanks and the spiritualist align themselves to the universe. The time when many start preparing to organise the kids for a school day. The time when the gurgling of the coffee thermos reminds us of the wonderful day awaiting us at work; the rough day ahead of us; our daily commute; the day we need to make the payment at the bank. Its morning time and you made it! The latter certainly is most important. There are days when we know the moment has come to begin our exercises. That extra slice of pizza or or those darn packs of delicious Doritos that took advantage of us at our weakest hungry moment – its time to get up and go outside and start eliminating them, but our beds just want to keep us. Sometimes its like we are tied to them and while in any other way we would be screaming, we actually love being connected to the, We understand.

Choo choo train
By Abdulmajeed K Nunez. Olivia fell in love with Brian Bain Her obsession grew incautious that she yarned for his fame She did whatever he asked and she did not complain He was even the first to introduce her to champagne And gave her expensive gifts that blew her brain He set her up one day to smoke weed and drink Night Train Den set up his boys fih mek deh beat out her frame She was to be a victim of a Choo Choo Train. Mother burst round the lane Observing the boys lines up like dogs in heat – a straight face she maintained

Power interruption 10:00am to 4:00pm Saturday, January 31, Belize City
Entire Belama Phase 4 and Superintendent Arthurs Street. Two thirty-minute power interruptions from 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and from 3:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. will also affect the portion of Belama Phase 2 between Biltmore and Benny’s Apartments and entire Belama Phase 3. BEL to facilitate works to be conducted under the Ministry of Works’ Flood Mitigation Project.

International Sources

Transparency? Hepatitis A outbreaks in Belize, UK schools
The Ministry of Health is working to contain a localized outbreak of Hepatitis A at a government school in Buena Vista, Cayo. hepatitis. According to reports, there was one case of the virus reported before Christmas, and since then at least 20 more cases The outbreak in a public school has been kept under the radar by the Ministry of Health. When the media asked Ministry of Health C.E.O. Peter Allen about it, he was surprised by the fact that the news had gotten out. But, of course, he claims that the Ministry seems to have the situation under control. “I don’t know why I am surprised that the media knows more about these things than I ever expect them to but indeed, we appear to have an outbreak of Hepatitis A in that particular school.”

Daily Escape: Victoria House Beach Resort in Ambergris Caye Belize
Belize's biggest island, Ambergis Caye, sits just one-half mile from the Belize Coral Reef System, the second biggest reef in the world. For that reason, the isle attracts throngs of scuba aficionados who swear by its crystal-clear, western Caribbean waters. But, couples in search of romance will swoon over Victoria House, just ten minutes from San Pedro, Ambergis Caye's main town. A boutique, 42-room, hideaway, encircled by verdant gardens, the hotel has thatched-roofed casita suites and plantation-style villas.

The new data approach that's helping struggling, small-scale fisheries
With 90 percent of the world’s 38 million fishermen believed to be operating in small-scale fisheries, overfishing and declining catch is a rapidly mounting ecological and socio-economic problem – and it’s hitting developing countries harder than most. The problem is compounded by the fact that most of these fisheries have little or no baseline information to even begin to rebuild the supply of fish. So how, then, are fishermen in Belize turning their once-struggling businesses around? Think sustainable management. Think data. Think FISHE.

Retiring Overseas on the Cheap
Top health care and near-perfect weather make some overseas locations the perfect spot for retirement. The American dollar is enjoying a resurgence as the United States economy improves and the global economies, including those in Europe and South America, continue to struggle. As a result, retiring to a garden spot outside the United States is more affordable than ever. Many older Americans are using the opportunities and freedoms retirement offers to move to scenic places outside the United States, and now is the best time to do that. U.S. News and World Report issued a list this month of the top 10 spots outside the U.S. to consider as a retirement spot because of the low cost of living and the value of the American dollar. Here are some of the best examples included in that report: Northern Belize: Although the communities of Northern Belize are set apart, they are also near the point where the Caribbean and Central America meet. As a result, the border town of Chetumal, Mexico, is nearby, and from there it is easy to get to thriving communities such as Cancun and Merida. This part of Belize has become a paradise for expats, so everybody in the community speaks English. Like other spots mentioned, real estate prices are low, and residency rules are easy to meet.

Overlooked: The Slade Lectures
Deep in a green jungle of cedar, mahogany and sapodilla trees, in the heart of Chiapas, Mexico, the majestic Temple of Inscriptions bestrides the ancient Mayan city of Palenque. The temple is a gem of Mesoamerican architecture, a pyramidal structure with nine levels symbolising Xibalba, the Mayan underworld. Its hieroglyphic inscriptions recount the remarkable life of the man who built it, K’inich Janaab’ Pakal, the polymath ruler of Palenque, who died in 683AD. Pakal’s tomb was only discovered in 1952: after climbing the steep pyramid face and entering the temple precinct, Mexican archaeologist Alberto Ruz Lhuillier broke the seal around an unassuming limestone slab. Behind was a hidden staircase leading into the building’s core. Another slab revealed a further flight of steps descending to the crypt. The sarcophagus in its musty interior showed Pakal falling into Xibalba, ‘the place of fear’, through the jaws of a giant serpent. Pakal’s corpse wears a jade mask and bead necklaces, and holds a jade cube and sphere, the meaning of which eludes us.

Videos

A Living Mayan History, 8.5min. A short documentary about the preservation of Mayan culture. Jose Magana from San Antonio works to help preserve Mayan culture.

Mata Rocks Resort Hotel - San Pedro - Belize, 3min.

Windy Hill Resort Hotel - San Ignacio - Belize, 2.5min.

Easy Inn Hotel - Belize City, 2min.

Gulf Hotel II - Belize City, 2.5min.

The Great House Inn Hotel - Belize City, 2min.

Belizean Shores Resort Hotel - San Pedro, 2min.

BELIZE COMMUNITY MLK2015 Los Angeles, 6min. 21st CENTURY AMERICAN BELIZEAN PRIDE IS ALIVE AND AWAKENING IN THE LITTLE BELIZE COMMUNITY LOS ANGELES. C* U* N* DA COMMUNITY 2015

Wolfs Place Hotel - Mount Hope - Belize, 3min.

Casa Jessita Hotel - Caye Caulker - Belize, 3.5min.

Midas Resort, San Ignacio, Belize, 1.5min.

Season 4 Episode 12 Food Alchemist Chef Sessy with Macarena Rose, 84min. Macarena Rose was my Guest. Reiki Master. Ordain Minister, and Realtor in Belize with Her own Expat TV show. She tells about all the beauty that is there in Belize... She share the cultures and things while we are planning our trip to Belize Dec 1-10 2015..

OPEN YOUR EYES TOPIC: THE MAGNA CARTA AND ITS INFLUENCE ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN BELIZE, 47min.

Operation Skate Belize, 9min. I was lucky enough to be a part of an amazing opportunity to build the 1st skatepark in Belize, run great skateboarding workshops, host the 1st skate contest ever in Belize and street skate with with the raddest youth and my friends Ariel & Jody.

Belize Barrier Reef, 3min. This video is an awareness video of coral reef systems.

Carnival Magic Cruise To Honduras, Belize, Cozumel 2015 - Day 4, 13min.

Chiclero Camp Resort, San Ignacio, Belize, 1.5min.

The Blue Hole Dive Belize 2015, 4min.

Belize 2015, 11min.

SunBreeze Suites Hotel - San Pedro - Belize, 2.5min.

Michelo Suites Hotel - Placencia - Belize, 1.5min.

Kama Beach Club and Suites Hotel - San Pedro - Belize, 1.5min.

Bella Sombra Guest House Kings Park Hotel - Belize City, 2min.

The Villas At Banyan Bay, San Pedro, Belize, 2min.

Hidden Valley Inn Reserve Hotel - Los Altos - Belize, 3.5min.

La Beliza Resort, Hotels in San Pedro, Belize, min. When you stay at La Beliza Resort in San Pedro (San Pedro - Ambergris Caye), you'll be within the vicinity of Ambergris Caye Beach. This beach condominium resort is within the region of Bacalar Chico National Park & Marine Reserve and GoFish Belize.

Vega Inn Beachhouses Hotel - Caye Caulker - Belize, 3min.

January 29, 2015

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

Meet your San Pedro Town Councilor Candidates – Part II
With the municipal elections right around the corner, The San Pedro Sun would like to take the opportunity to present the Councilor Candidates to the San Pedro Town public. As such, five questions have been issued to all candidates in an effort to learn more about them. In this issue, we feature responses from candidates from The People’s United Party (PUP) and candidates from The United Democratic Party (UDP).

Heartaches of Renewing Our Belizean Passports
After not getting any attention from the gentleman, I then decided to pen a complaint to your office about our situation, we were then contacted by The Chief Executive Officer out of the Ministry of foreign Affairs, Ms. Alexis Rosado, by then, the folks at the permanent mission here in New York, were pointing the finger at the people at the Department of Immigration in Belmopan, while the folks in Belmopan were pointing their finger at the folks in New York. No one wanted to handle the hot potato or take responsibility. Now, lets fast forward to September 8th, 2014, on that date last year, myself and my wife went to the permanent mission to Belize here in New York (reluctantly), to renew our passports again. Only this time we had to pay $110.00 American dollars (each) for our passports, again, we were told that we would have to wait 6-8 weeks to receive our passports, today’s date is January 21st, 2015, five months after applying and my wife is still waiting for her passport, even after she has already met all the requirements and paid all the monies attached to getting her passport, her passport is still MIA. Even after we paid a $110.00 American dollars (each), to the treasury of Belize, when converted to Belizean currency, we have paid $440.00 to the treasury of Belize, for what?

BAHA monitors Avian Influenza Cases
On Wednesday, January 14th, the Belize Agriculture Health Authority (BAHA) identified a possible outbreak of Avian Influenza Type A (Influenza type A viruses can infect people, birds, pigs, horses, dogs, marine mammals, and other animals) in two poultry farms in the Spanish Lookout Area. The infected poultry were part of the broiler breeder section of the farm and were immediately contained. Samples were sent to a reference laboratory in the United Stated of America for confirmation and subtyping, and determined that samples are not harmful to humans. According to Miguel De Paz, Chief Veterinary Officer and Director of Animal Health Department at BAHA, the infected poultry was identified due to active surveillance. “There were almost no symptoms being shown. We detected the presence of the influenza due to random samplings that we carry out as part of our active surveillance efforts. We constantly are monitoring and testing food products across the country to ensure that the quality is up to par. That is how BAHA was alerted about the Avian Influenza in these farms,” said De Paz. He stated that while BAHA identified the presence of the virus, the subtype could not have been determined without further testing abroad. “There are 144 subtypes of Avian Influenza and out of that, only 18 are harmful. So while we detected the presence of the virus, we could not determine if it was harmful to public consumption. Once the samples were tested in the USA, we were informed that it was a subtype that was not harmful, and that the poultry merely had the flu,” said De Paz.

Mo’ Mojo brings Zydeco music to San Pedro
San Pedro was treated to the hard driving, high energy Zydeco based “Party-Gras” tunes of Mo’ Mojo on Saturday, January 24th. Held at the Honorable Louis Sylvestre Sporting Arena, the concert was part of the American Music Abroad program led by the United States of America Embassy. San Pedro was the first stop for the band’s Belizean tour, followed by Corozal Town and San Ignacio Town. Mo’ Mojo band is comprised of five members: Jen Maurer – accordion/vox, Leigh Ann Wise – percussion/trumpet/vox, Anthony Papaleo – fiddle/guitar, Darren Thompson – bass and Will Douglas – drums. Their music is a fusion of Zydeco (a kind of dance music originally from southern Louisiana, typically featuring accordion and guitar) and Cajun (an emblematic music of Louisiana, rooted in the ballads of the French-speaking Acadians of Canada) with reggae, rock & roll, funk, R&B;, African, and Latin elements. The songs are sung in either English or French and portray the rich culture of the southern states of the USA. At the concert, the crowd enjoyed rich tunes from Mo’ Mojo, and some even got up and danced along with the band. Concert goers also enjoyed music from one of the island’s favorite band, Rompe Raja, as they opened the event.

Isla Bonita Elementary students host Open House
Isla Bonita Elementary School’s upper division students displayed their knowledge on social issues in an Open House held on Friday, January 23rd. The students prepared informational booths on the Rights of a Child, Child Abuse, Alcohol Abuse, Drug Abuse, Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) and HIV/AIDS. Several community members and students from the other island primary schools attended the Open House where they received valuable information on the issues that are rising in San Pedro. The Open House started shortly after 1PM, and well-prepared students presented on their topics with the aid of pamphlets, pictures, and examples. Each booth also created a game relating to the topic and prizes were given to the winners of the games.

Ambergris Today

Join the “Say No to Offshore Oil” in Belize Selfie Initiative
We all know how to take a selfie, right? Well if you don’t know how to, ask a friend to help you learn, because there is no better time to learn than right now. Why? Because a joint campaign by Belize’s Coalition to Save Our Natural Heritage, Association of Protected Areas Management Organization (APAMO), Oceana Belize and other stakeholders is asking Belizeans to participate in a “Say No to Offshore Oil” selfie initiative. Belizeans are being asked to take a selfie that conveys shock, anger, etc. that Government still has not said no to offshore oil exploration/drilling. If you are on Facebook and/or Instagram, please like and/or follow and invite others to like and/or follow.

Belize Shines in TripAdvisor’s 2015 Travelers’ Choice Awards
TripAdvisor just released its 2015 Travelers’ Choice Hotel Awards for the new year and Belize is up there once again with the best in the world. Travelers from around the globe have spoken and it’s great to see that Belize is trending amongst the best in the industry. * San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, remains strong on the list of the Top 10 Hotels in Belize with Victoria House topping the list and the #1 Island in the World holding strong to seven spots on the list. * Five Belize hotels were listed amongst the 25 Top Hotels in Central America (four of which were from Ambergris Caye.

Misc Belizean Sources

Say No to Offshore Oil Selfie support: ACCSD
As part of a joint campaign between Coalition, APAMO, Oceana and other stakeholders, ACCSD supporters are being asked to participate in a “Say No to offshore Oil” selfie initiative. The selfie should convey shock, anger, etc. that Government still has not said no to offshore oil. Please see below: If you are on Facebook and/or Instagram, please like and/or follow, and invite others to like and/or follow. On Instagram, you can find us under SAYNOTOOFFSHOREOILINBELIZE On Facebook, our page is "Say NO to Offshore Oil in Belize." Feel free to post any pictures, commentary, etc. that you would like to share.

Mo' Mojo in San Ignacio
Yesterday Mo' Mojo had a jam session with the World Culture Band and other local artists at JJ's Restaurant and Bar in San Ignacio. Tonight the group will perform their FINAL concert in Belize at the Welcome Center in San Ignacio! Don't miss out! The concert starts at 7:00 pm and is FREE! Check out footage from the jam session.

Street Art Festival: Sidewalk Chalk Competition
Feb 18th 2-10PM Albert Street

Reducing Illegal Trafficking of Timber In the Chiquibul Forest
Launching event (27th of January, 2015) of the EU FAO FLEGT funded project titled “Reducing Illegal Trafficking of Timber In the Chiquibul Forest through a Consolidated Bi-National Effort.” 31 persons attended including partnering organizations of Guatemala , namely Asociacion Balam and the National Council on Protected Areas.

A Tribute To Belizean Artists
San Pedro don't miss this grand event this Saturday January 31st at the Paradise Theater. Get your tickets at the Reef Radio Office on Pescador Drive. Come and enjoy this once in a lifetime event featuring great talents like: Ernestine Carballo, David and Oscar Aguilar, Ismael "El Buki" Chacon, San Pedro's very own Natalie Arceo, and Ralfy el Phantom. SEE YOU THERE!!

Channel 7

PUP Stands By Hon. Marco - For Now At Least
PUP Orange Walk East Standard Bearer Marco Tulio Mendez was the main subject of discussion today at an emergency meeting of the party’s parliamentarians, executive members and standard bearers. It took place at party headquarters starting at 2:00 pm, where we saw all the party officials streaming in – all except Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez – who has shunned public appearances since child molestation allegations emerged against him. The meeting lasted about two and a half hours, after which party leader Francis Fonseca laid out the party’s position on the troubling case of Dr. Mendez:… "Obviously we are dealing with allegations. So far nothing formal has come to the party's attention or to my attention. So we’re dealing with rumours and allegations that have been made against honourable Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez. Based on the nature of these allegations, we have heard and received them.

A Soldier, A Suspect, Now A Prisoner
Tonight, 39 year-old Eber Navarette, a Belize Defence Force Sargeant attached to the Price Barracks Compound in Ladyville, is at prison after being busted with an unlicensed firearm in Cayo yesterday evening. But it may be more than just an isolated arrest – credible reports tell us that Sargeant Navarette was being trialed by police – because he is a person of interest in the recent burglary of the “Echelon 7” munitions stockpile in Lord’s Bank. Police trailed Navarette into a taxi where they had information that he might be in possession of unlicensed weapon. Navarette got out of the vehicle at the corner of Awe and Carmelita Streets – where police pulled up to search him. Police say that the soldier ran away, and they set chase. While he was fleeing, one of the officers say they saw him remove a black object from his pants which resembled a handgun. When police finally caught him, they conducted the search.

Cop Caught For Cocaine
And there is another lawman in the news, this one for drug trafficking. Police made a major drug bust on the Hummingbird highway yesterday evening. According to reports, at about 3:30 yesterday evening police officers stopped a taxi between mile 17 and 18 on the Hummingbird Highway. When officers searched the vehicle, they found two parcels of cocaine amounting to 2.8 kilos, or about six pounds. All 4 men :37 year old police Corporal Martin Mas of Belmopan, 27 year old Pedro Sho of Corozal, 41 year old Tom Martinez of Bullet Tree and 38 year old taxi driver of Belmopan Bernard Che - were all charged for drug trafficking and remanded to the Belize central prison.

Supal Boss "Soup" Shot (Again)
36 year Jason “Soup” Williams, the reputed gang boss of Supal Street was shot last night in Belize City, and tonight, Police are on high alert for possible retaliation. It happened on Fairweather Street, not far from his home at around 9:00 pm. There have been numerous attempts made on Williams’ life in the past, but once again, he escaped suffering only minor injuries to the right leg and right hand. The officer commanding the Criminal Investigations Branch in Belize City, briefed the media this afternoon to provide what information they have at this time. Here’s what he told us: Supt. Hilberto Romero - OC, CIB Belize City "Tuesday 27th of January around 9:15 PM, police responded to a report of a shooting incident on Fairweather street. They then visited the KHMH where they say Jason Williams, 36 years, with a gunshot wound to the leg and a gunshot wound to the arm. He was admitted to the KHMH in a stable condition. The information was that he was sitting down at an area on Fairweather street across the bridge, when a male person approached and fired several shots at his direction causing the injuries to him."

Police Caught And Shot Escapee Willoughby
After almost 7 weeks on the run, terrorizing residents in the Cayo District, 25 year-old Emmanuel Willoughby, the prison inmate who escaped on December 13 is at under police guard at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital tonight. That’s after police shot him in the right arm and leg when they detained him last night, just after 7:30 on Arlington Drive. It was the end result of a heated pursuit through an urban swamp. Today, police briefed the media saying that he resisted arrest and he held an object in his hand, which resembled a weapon: Supt. Hilberto Romero - OC, CIB Belize City "Emmanuel Willoghby, who escaped from the Kolbe foundation. Police launched an investigation in the Arlington drive area, where we was found as a result he was apprehended and we shot to the leg and to the arm."

Matura Detained As a Consequence of Willoughby
According to residents of Arlington Drive – they first saw 25 year old Emmanuel Willoughby on Monday evening when he was dropped off in the area by a taxi cab. Willoughby allegedly told 3 men who were standing on the street that he had just robbed a grocery store in Cayo and had hijacked the taxi cab to bring him to Belize City. Less than 5 minutes after police spotted Willoughby in the area and chased him. The escapee managed to jump a fence and fled the vicinity. Police then continued to search the men in the area and found a cell phone which they believed belonged to the owner of the grocer store in Cayo. The phone was found on 30 year old Delroy Matura – and he was taken to San Ignacio Magistrate Court where he was charged with handling stolen goods. But according to Matura’s family, Willoughby had dropped the phone while attempting to run from police and had no connections with Delroy Matura who had only picked up the phone.

Police Puzzled Over Pitts Party Shooting
Tonight, 27 year-old Eugene Pitts, the UB student who was shot while he was at a party during the weekend, remains in the intensive care unit at the KHMH. He’s recovering from injuries he received from the shotgun pellets just before midnight on Saturday. He’s told police that he doesn’t know who shot him, neither do any of the partygoers who were at the house in Hattieville. Today, police told us that because no one saw the gunman, they have very little to go on by way of investigation: Pitts suffered the rupture of multiple internal organs due to the pellets in his midsection.

Spreading The Message Of Islam in Belize
The “Islamic State” or “ISIS” – we’ve all heard of it on international news - but the reality of it remains remote in Belize. While these issues do not directly affect Belize, for some, it does affect their perception of Muslims. And representatives of the AH-MADI-YYA Muslim community are here to change that. They held a media briefing today at the Radisson to bring what they say is the true and untainted face of Islam to light. Senior Vice President of the Muslim Community in Canada says this convention – which is the first of its kind in Belize – is only the beginning of a spiritual revolution. Mubarak Nazir - Senior Vice President, Muslim Community in Canada "we're trying to speak to the people here in Belize, it's a beautiful country. We're going to offer prayers for the development of this country, we want all religions to come together because we believe the source of all religions is from god. So we want to get together and speak about how to achieve peace of mind, how to become productive members of this country. How to become more law abiding, how to become good husbands, how to become good wife, good students.

Pineda For Indecent Assault
18 year-old Eric Pineda is tonight facing an indecent assault charge after being accused of taking a 13 year-old girl on a date and then touching her inappropriately. The incident is alleged to have happened on November 1, 2014 when Pineda is accused of taking the minor to an ice cream parlor. The girl says that while they were sitting down on opposite chairs, Pineda fondled her leg. She says that it made her very uncomfortable. The girl didn’t mention anything to her family, and it was not until her mother came across text messages and a conversation on her Facebook messenger that she found out that Pineda was trying to seduce her daughter – going so far as to arrange a date to meet up at a San Ignacio hotel.

Min. Grant Went To Washington For VP Biden Message on Energy Independence
World oil prices continue to fall and it’s putting a hurting on Venezuela which depends on oil for 95% of its foreign exchange earnings. And while that specter of social unrest threatens that country, the US Government is seizing upon the opportunity to regain some imperial footing in its own back yard. On Monday in Washington, Vice President Joe Biden invited Caribbean leaders to talk about energy security. The US wants the region to move away from Petrocaribe, decrease its reliance on oil and focus on alternative energy sources such as solar. According to US News reports, Biden offered US assistance – with strings attached. He said, quote, “First and foremost, you have to deal with corruption…You need to be choosing projects because they are the most competitive, not for other reasons…we’re not going to waste money. We’re going to insist on considerably more transparency…” And referring obliquely to Petrocaribe, he added, quote, “We’re not here to replace one flawed financing scheme with another.”

Human Rights For LBGT
Human rights – that’s what the LBGT community says they are deprived of by a homophobic society. And rights inclusion was the subject of a conference today at the Radisson. The discussion centered on the barriers to all hum rights that the LGBT community faces. But, Executive Director of UNIBAM, Caleb Orozco told us that this human rights discussion should not be confined to the LGBT community but extended to the broader society. "For us this conference speaks to the principle of inclusion and a recognition that rights are indivisible and that rights are universal in how you recognise and approach them. Fundamentally what we're looking her is not a confrontation but an engagement process of bringing various sectors together to recognise that we all have individual and collective responsibilities to respond to the challenges of upholding rights enforcements and protection issues.

Caleb On Constitutional Case
And the case that sparked the controversy surrounding the discussion on LGBT rights in 2013 is the case that Orozco brought against the government of Belize challenging section 53 of the criminal code. This code states that “every person who has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any person or animal shall be liable to imprisonment for ten years.” According to Orozco this section violates his right to privacy, dignity and equality as a gay man. We asked Caleb to update us on this case today. "I'm beginning to feel after 17 months of being the claimant in this case that justice has been delayed and for me that's important because; Here I am, bringing a case to the court and for whatever reason, via administration, shortage or personnel, I haven't gotten a decision in 17 months. More precisely, the delay doesn't being any conclusion or closure to the discussion nor does it bring any relief to the quality of life that I must lead.

Who Wants To Study In Taiwan
The 2015 Taiwanese scholarship application period is open. A briefing was held this morning at the Chateau Caribbean Hotel to provide information about the application process and the programs that are available. At today’s briefing, the room was packed with eager and excited applicants and according to the Interim President of the Belize- Taiwan alumni society, they have every reason to be - given that this scholarship provides recipients with the opportunity to advance socially and academically. Those who do get accepted should be contacted in August. Only about 26 applicants can be accepted.

CSME - Making Job Opportunities Real In The Caribbean
The CARICOM Single Market and Economy – Belize is a part of it – but where is it really, or what is it, you might ask. Indeed, other than that logo on our passport, the CSME seems to float in the geopolitical ether. But, a team from CARICOM is hoping to bring it right to your front door. They’re here to talk to trade officials about the enhancement of CSME operations – specifically a document called a skilled national certificate. That’s the document which enables you to work anywhere in CARICOM without a work permit – just like a regular citizen. Now, as part of a CARICOM competitiveness project that document will be available online and processed through a free movement desk in Belmopan. Now, if your experience tells you that the only thing that moves freely across desks in the government bureaucracy – are things that move under the table – well, you’re wrong: in this new electronic era, skilled national certificates will move faster than a citizen Kim application with a Penner stamp. Here’s how the expert explained it at yesterday’s session at the Black Orchid Resort:….

He Says He Stabbed Ellis
34 year-old Nathaniel Thomas Jr. will spend 4 years in jail after pleading guilty to dangerous harm. He was accused of stabbing Ellis Ortiz. It happened at around 7:30 p.m. on January 22, 2012, when – in a dispute over a female - Thomas stabbed Ortiz in the left side of his abdomen. Ortiz said that Thomas continued to attack him, and he had to defend himself. Thomas stabbed him 5 more times, and the fight didn’t stop until after a bystander intervened and wrenched the knife away from Thomas. Ortiz was rushed to the hospital, where the doctors saved him.

KHMH On Maternal Mishaps
Two weeks ago we told you about the case of 18 year old Lucia Martinez - the first time mother who suffered a terrible infection after medial staff allegedly left a swab in her during post delivery clean up’s. Since then, she and her husband have retained an attorney who they took to a meeting with the CEO of the KHMH, Dr. Adrian Coye. He told us he cannot discuss details but that the meeting did somewhat clear the air:… On another case of post delivery mishaps, 25 year old Norma Noemi Marroquin delivered a child at the private Spanish Lookout Clinic on January fifth, 2015. But, within a week, she came down with a severe and painful infection. That’s when she ended up at the KHMH where she had emergency surgery on the thirteenth of January and died 3 days later. Doctors told her husband that her ovary had burst inside her as a result of an infection caused by the child’s placenta being left inside her. It is a case of maternal mortality that has left a newborn without a mother, and the private and public healthcare system with a black eye. Yesterday we asked CEO Peter Allen if anything could have been done to save her:….

Belize Realizing MDG's
But the truth is the KHMH sees about 1600 to 1800 deliveries annually and the vast majority go without incident. That’s the kind of positive statistic that the ministry is focusing on as it closes in on the Millennium Development Goals:.. 2015 is the year of assessment for millennium development goals.

Fill It Up, King-Man!
For years, a number of residents in low lying Lake Independence, especially in the Gungulung area, have been plagued by swamps and floods which inundate their yards, forcing them to trudge through unsanitary conditions to get to and from their houses. That area, like other Southside constituencies such as Port Loyola, Pickstock and Collet, was developed in haphazard fashion andlots ar ento unformly filled. And so, just in time for city council elections, government has chartered a landfill program to assist those needy residents. It is financed by the OPEC Fund for International Development, and Mark King, the Minister of State within Martinez’s ministry, made sure that his constituents had a head start today.

King Takes On All Comers
King also had some boasting to do about the upcoming city council election. That’s because Yolanda Schakron – who would have been his opponent in the 2012 general elections is now running for PUP Mayor. That has King pumped up and beating his chest. Today we asked him about his immediate opponent:… Reporter "The city council elections will becoming up. This may be your first test to see your muscle versus against Cordel Hyde are you intimidated?" Hon. Mark King - Minister of State, Ministry of Human Development "Well, absolutely not. First of all, there is no Cordel Hyde in this constituency, he's gone, his time is up and he's no longer returning. My driver is going to a city councillor and win right here and I organised for that and at the end of the day, I have guaranteed Shackron that I will be the cause of her losing the municipal election because I will bring out the most votes from Lake I.”

Could PUP End Up Like Penner?
And keeping it on politics, at the top of the newscast we told you how the PUP would be standing by its Orange walk East Representative Marco Tulio Mendez – at least for the time being. If Mendez is criminally charged, then that could change. But, there is some tactical value in the PUP closing ranks and taking a conservative position at this time – and that’s because the prospect of a bye-election is a costly and complicated one. But then that wouldn;t make them much better We asked the party leader about the moral hazard of ending up in a bad situation:.. Jules Vasquez "Might it not evolve into a situation where the party may at some point have to distance itself for what ever reason, but Mr. Mendez has indicated he will fight and defend his reputation. So could there be the evolution of a situation similar to what has happened to Elvin Penner, where he refused to go any where and just sits at the end of the back bench and reserves the seat for the UDP; Which is very important and also strategically for the PUP reserving a seat and not going to a bi-election is some how strategically important."

Will Audrey Run?
Recently, Audrey Matura-Shepherd seems to be on the frontline of every conflict – but will she try and parlay this high visibility, into a political career? Yesterday our colleague from the Guardian Newspaper asked her if she has political aspirations. Here’s her barbed response: We asked Audrey Wallace, CEO in the Prime Minister’s Office, about Matura-Shepherd’s claim that Wallace approached her on behalf of the Prime Minister to become a member of the United Democratic Party. She told us categorically that she has done no such thing, and to her knowledge, Matura-Shepherd is already partial toward the UDP… But as you heard, Matura-Shepherd claims that she is being treated as a follower of the Opposition, PUP – and that was certainly cemented last week with this front page appearance.

They Are The Champions
On Monday, we showed you our story with the 2014 Nationals for the Belize Amateur Athletics Association, the first 1 in 5 years. Well, we have been provided with the results of the 2 day competition – and here are some of them. In the 100-metre race, Tricia Flores placed first. For the males, the Mark Anderson was the top sprinter. In the 200 metres, Shanicka Augustine was first place for females while For the males, Linford Avila won. In the 400 metre race, there was only 1 female who competed, and she was Ashtomie Carr. For the males, Mark Anderson placed first. In the 800, only 2 females ran the race, and between them, Ashtomie Carr was faster than Delmi Hernandez. For the males, Erson Moreira placed first, beating Alexander Alvarado. In the 5K marathon, no females competed, but for the males, Giovanni Baizar ran faster than his only competitor, Alexander Alvarado.

New Ring Road
Today, the Ministry of Works signed 2 important construction contracts to repair the ring road in Belmopan City under the Road Safety Project. Errol Gentle, the CEO in the Ministry of Works and Transport, said at the ceremony this afternoon that all the government and private sector partners must work together to ensure that this project serves Belmopan to it’s full intended effect:

Channel 5

P.U.P. Executive Meets on Mendez Allegations
This afternoon, the National Executive of the People’s United Party met to discuss the unpleasant and very serious allegations being made against Orange Walk East Area Representative Dr. Marco Tulio [...]

Fonseca Says Only Allegations…No Evidence
Fonseca said he would not go so far as to say what exactly the party will do in the event that criminal charges are brought against Doctor Mendez. He stated [...]

Escaped Prisoner Shot by Police
Dangerous prisoner turn escapee Emmanuel Willoughby is a fugitive no longer. He is currently under Police guard at the K.H.M.H. after he was shot twice during his apprehension by Police [...]

Emmanuel Willoughby Was On Crime Rampage in Cayo
So why did Emmanuel Willoughby leave Cayo and come to Belize City? It could be because Cayo Police had launched an intensive manhunt for him. Today, News Five spoke to [...]

Jason “Soup” Williams Shot Again
One hour and a half after the shooting of Willoughby, shots rang out once again…this time on Fairweather Street on South Side Belize City. Just after nine p.m., an attempt [...]

Kidnapping Attempts Cause Panic in OW
There is growing concern tonight over the safety of primary school students. In the past few days, there have been reports of alleged attempts at kidnapping in Belmopan and Corozal. [...]

Corozal Police Seek Suspected Child Predator
In a separate incident in the north, which may have some bearing to the incident in Orange Walk, Corozal police are looking for a man who tried to lure a [...]

B.D.F. Soldier Busted with Unlicensed Weapon
A B.D.F. soldier is in remand at the Belize Central Prison after he was busted with an illegal weapon and ammunition. Eber Navarette was under surveillance in Benque, and when [...]

SIB Releases 2014 Stats
The Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) today released the 2014 External Trade and Consumer Price Index stats which show that imports went up while exports went down. At December of [...]

Dennis Gabourel Guilty of Grievous Harm, Not Rape
Just before noon today, a jury of two women and seven men stepped into the deliberating room to decide the fate of businessman, Dennis Gabourel who back in September 2003, [...]

Belize City Man Pleads Guilty to Dangerous Harm
The trial of Nathanial Thomas Junior, who was accused of stabbing the boyfriend of his ex girlfriend, concluded today. Neighbors had to intervene to stop the domestic dispute and Thomas [...]

Dangriga Police Make Cocaine Bust
The following did not appear on the police report, but on Tuesday, January twenty-second, Police visited an area between miles seventeen and eighteen on the Humming Bird where they intercepted [...]

Medical Waste Discarded in Ladyville has Residents Outraged
Which of Belize City’s medical facilities dumped hazardous medical waste on a heavily trafficked road in Ladyville? At this point nobody knows. All that is certain is that on Tuesday [...]

Justice Delayed is Justice Denied says Caleb Orozco
In Jamaica, a trial is taking place in which former Professor Brendan Bain is challenging the University of the West Indies for wrongful dismissal. Bain was terminated after he gave [...]

Rights Inclusion Conference Hosted in Belize
A Rights Inclusion Conference was held today at the Radisson Fort George in Belize City. The event which is a collaborative effort between the Women’s Issues Network, better known as [...]

Conference Seeks to Advance Rights Among Marginalized Groups
The conference saw the participation of representatives from various sectors—including social, environment and health—and is part of a larger public education strategy to get citizens to think about the issues [...]

Over 100 Students aspiring for Taiwanese Scholarships
Since the inception of the Taiwanese scholarship program over two hundred and sixty Belizeans have successfully acquired graduate and post graduate degrees from Taiwanese institutions and over a hundred and [...]

CTV3

Students Ready For BJAT Test, Says MOE Manager
Fifteen primary school students are today preparing for tomorrow’s Pilot BJAT which stands for the Belize Junior Achievement Test. The BJAT is an examination intended and designed to test the knowledge of students from standard three or fifth grade. Jahmor Lopez is the district education Manager for Corozal Town. “The whole idea behind the piloting is to test the reliability of the items that have been presented and to determine how suitable those items are and so when the final product and package is put up together and administered country wide, the exam unit is confident that what is presented are items that can be done by those students at that level and that they are in alignment with the curriculum that have been covered and so the schools that have been selected for the piloting, the schools are been selected by the exams unit.”

MOE Expresses Concern About Children's Safety
And while the school’s administration is putting in measures to avoid any future misfortunes, the Ministry of Education is also involved and concerned over the safety issues of the children. Today, we spoke with District Education Manager for Orange Walk, Carla Alvarez to weigh in on the situation. “Yes we are concern as I know that most parents are and I think that we need to be more vigilant at all times I would say but I see that the parents, because I visited the school where the incident allegedly happened and I spoke to the Principal and certain measures are put in place by the school but also we want to ask the authorities, the police to be a little bit more vigilant especially around schools and especially around break time and lunch time because when it is extremely business and we tend to think that nothing can happen...”

Traffic Measures Taken By OWTC For Safety Of Our Citizens
Following a traffic hiccup that involved an infant two student from the Presbyterian primary School yesterday, these traffic bumps were put in place to avoid any future accidents caused by speeding. And while we could not verify who the Speed Bump implementer is, we are thankful to report that the gesture is one that was truly needed for the safety of the students in this highly trafficked area.

Venezuela Embassador Speaks On Petro Caribe Program
Belize signed on to the Petrocaribe oil alliance with Venezuela in 2005 and since then government has received millions of dollars under the agreement, money that is expected to be invested in social projects geared at poverty alleviation and improved infrastructure to improve the standard of living for communities in the countries that have signed with Venezuela. Towards the end of 2014, it was reported that falling oil prices would force Venezuela to sell the Petrocaribe debts, in other words, securitize these debts. What this meant then is that the program would close and Belize would therefore cease to benefit from the program. In an interview with His Excellency Yoel del Valle Perez Marcano, Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to Belize said the program will not cease.

How Will The Harvest And Delivery For Sugarcane Will Work For 2014/2015 Crop?
The sugar crop is underway and deliveries continue to flow into the factory despite a mechanical failure experience on Monday. Operations should return to normalcy tomorrow. This year, for the first time in the history of the industry, the harvesting and delivery schedules are different as there are two new associations. Add to that, the crop started late and this leads to additional changes in the operations as it concerns deliveries. We understand that the Sugar Cane Production Committee has proposed that cane farmers deliver eighty percent of their cane in an effort to allow each farmer an opportunity to make deliveries to the factory. Chair of the Committee of Management at the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association, Ezequiel Cansino explains.

LOVE FM

Statistical Institute of Belize Releases Its Latest Figures
In December 2014, Belize imports were valued at one hundred and eighty four point two million dollars-an increase of $25.3 million when compared to December 2013. That’s according to the Statistical Institute of Belize and its latest figures. According to the SIB, merchandise imports for the entire year 2014, totaled just over $2 billion, an increase of 7.8 percent or $145.7 million over last year’s total. The United States continues to be Belize’s largest source of imported goods. As for domestic imports, the total figure for 2014 totaled $28.6 million- a $2 million decreased from last year. Of Belize’s five major exports, Marine products endured the sharpest decline of $5.2 million, with over $4 million of this being the result of a decrease in exports of farm shrimp. Belize’s total exported goods for the year in 2014 amounted to $602.9 million, down $57.2 million from last year.

UNIBAM Addresses Human Rights Issues
The United Belize Advocacy Movement, UNIBAM, is hosting a one day conference today in Belize City. The advocacy group is discussing human rights issues with special emphasis on lesbian gay bisexual and transgender issues. Head of UNIBAM, Caleb Orozco spoke to Love News. CALEB OROZCO “Who wants their entire life to be on hold for seventeen months to have the burden of responsibility of dealing with their own personal security, who wants to feel like although the institution recognizes my fundamental rights to freedom as a citizen of this country that there is a delay and as one minister said, in a particular session, justice delayed is justice denied. And so in this we have an injustice here is that I am primarily charged with holding up my human dignity while I wait. I think that it’s time that we consider that the principle of justice delayed; justice denied has some concrete consequence for a person like me.”

Lake I Area Representative Assists Residents
Residents in the Lake independence area have complained about the condition of their streets and property following any prolonged rainfall. In an effort to assist residents, today area representative Mark King launched the landfill program. MARK KING “Today we are launching the landfill program in Lake I. As you know this year we had a lot of rains and we also have a lot of flooding in these south side areas and so really and truly this as a project that is sponsored by OPEC it is ran by the senior minister in Human Development Minister Martinez and it includes Lake I, Collet, Port Loyola and Pickstock however I got off to an early start because you know I always push harder I got my contractor to give me an early start before finances is valuable for the project.

RTA Victim Succumbs to Injuries
A man who was the victim of a road traffic accident has succumbed to his injuries. As we reported earlier this week, 22-year-old Sebastian Makin of a Punta Gorda address was riding a bicycle on the George Price Highway on Sunday night when he was hit by a Ford Explorer driven by Alfred Mahler. Makin received an open wound to the back of the head. He was transported in an unconscious state to the Western Regional Hospital and then transferred to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. Makin died on Monday. Today the driver of the vehicle Alfred Mahler appeared in Belmopan Magistrate’s Court where he was charged with causing death by careless conduct and driving without due care and attention.

Police and K9 Unit; Discovery of Marijuana in Two Vicinities
This morning, officers from Precinct 1 and the K9 unit in Belize City, conducted a joint anti-drug/firearm operation within the area. During the operation searches were conducted at an open lot on Magazine Road and in an open lot on Conch Shell Bay. There police discovered a total of 643 grams of marijuana. As consequence of the finding, the drugs were deposit and label as “Found Property”.

Shooting on Supaul Street; Will There Be Retaliation?
Someone tried to kill Supal Street Gang Boss, Jason “Soup” Williams last night. The 36 year old notorious Gang figure was shot to the right leg and arm as his shooter approached him on Fairweather Street. It happened at around 9pm. Police believed that the shooter ran in the direction of Dolphin Street and escaped into the night. Officer in charge of the Criminal Investigation Branch Investigation Branch for the Eastern Division, Superintendent Hilberto Romero says that the police department is putting measures in place for a possible retaliation. SUPERINTENDENT HILBERTO ROMERO “The information is that he was sitting down at an area on Fair-weather Street across the bridge when a male person approached and fired a shot in his direction causing the injuries to him.” HIPOLITO NOVELO “Sir, did the victim give police any information on the identity of the shooter?” SUPERINTENDENT HILBERTO ROMERO “Well he is admitted and our officers are recording statements and there is one person in custody and at the end of the investigation we will determine if anyone can be charged.”

Escape Prisoner Captured; Apprehended By Police With Injuries
On December 13, 26 year old Emmanuel Willoughby managed to escape from the Belize Central Prison. After more than a month on the loose, tonight we report that Willoughby has been captured and is under heavy police guard at the Karl Huesner Memorial Hospital. Willoughby was serving a five- year sentence for Possession of Unlicensed Firearm and his release date was scheduled for December 11, 2017. Police believed that as he escaped from prison he made his way to the Cayo District where he has family in Georgeville. Reportedly, Cayo police were closing in on him and last night, he decided to make his way to Belize City. Superintendent Hilberto Romero told us that an officer shot Willoughby because he refused to surrender. SUPERINTEDENT HILBERTO ROMERO “Police again launched an operation in the Arlington Drive area where he was found. As a result he was apprehended and he was shot to the leg and to the arm.” HIPOLITO NOVELO “Sir, there’s a report that he committed a crime in Cayo. Do you all know of that?”

PlusTV

BDF soldier arrested for unlicensed gun and ammo
In the Western District of Cayo, another member of the defense authority got in trouble with the law, when he was unable to produce a gun license. Authorities say that on Tuesday January 27th., Sergeant Eber Navarette attached to the Belize Defence Force was arrested and charged for the possession of a German brand handgun and ammunition without a valid license. Officer Commanding San Ignacio Police Station Superintendent Dinsdale Thompson gave us more details. Sometime [around] 5:30 pm yesterday, 27 January, San Ignacio Police intercepted Sergeant Navarette who was in San Ignacio Town. He was intercepted by San Ignacio Police. Their interception led to the discovery of a German brand pistol and two live rounds.

Belmopan Corporal busted with Cocaine
A Belmopan Corporal was busted with 2 kilos of cocaine on Tuesday, January 22. Following a tip, officers visited an area between miles 17 and 18 on the Hummingbird Highway, where they intercepted a Green four door Toyota Corolla taxi . The four male occupants were searched, however nothing incriminating was found on them. A search of the car, however, resulted in the discovery of two parcels under the driver’s seat and the front passenger’s seat. The packages were opened in their presence and contained what appeared to be Cocaine. The four men were cautioned and escorted to the Dangriga Police Station along with the Car and the suspected cocaine weighing 2, 800 grams.

Police updates on Hattieville shooting and ammunition theft
Police are investigating the Sunday night shooting in Hattieville, that left 27 year old Eugene Pitts injured by a gunshot wound to the lower back. They are no closer, however, to finding a culprit as explained by Superintendent Hilberto Romero. “The Investigation has been conducted. Several statements have been recorded, but at this time we cannot identify who the shooter is, and the investigation continues for that. We have nobody in custody for that shooting. The victim is still in a critical condition. There were other persons in the area when the shooting occurred, but again we cannot establish the identity of the shooter at this time.”

Alleged Gang leader Jason “Soup” Williams shot on Tuesday night
Police have two shooting incidents Tuesday night to investigate, neither of which resulted in fatalities. One of those incidents took place around 9:00 p.m. Tuesday night, and involved 36 year old Jason “Soup” Williams, a carpenter resident on Supal Street, Belize City. and alleged to lead the local gang in the area. He was in the area of Fairweather Street up from his residence when trouble struck. Officer in Charge of Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) for Eastern Division Police, Superintendent of Police Hilberto Romero, details what happened next and what police know so far.

Police shoot and capture escapee Emmanuel Willoughby
Six weeks after he escaped from the Belize Central Prison, Belize City Police finally caught up with the country’s most wanted man, 25 year old Emmanuel Willoughby. They had to use firearms and force to do it, however, as police say they found him in the area of Arlington Drive, Belize City, while on operations. But Willoughby would not go quietly and willingly when ordered to surrender. Superintendent Hilberto Romero, Officer Commanding Criminal Investigation Branch in Belize City, details what took place thereafter. Superintendant Hilberto Romero – Officer in Charge of Criminal Investigation Branch for Eastern Division Police “The other shooting involved Emmanuel Willoghby, who escaped from the Kolbe Foundation. Police launched an operation in the Arlington Drive area, where we was found. As a result he was apprehended, and he was shot to the leg and to the arm.”

CWU attacks Social Security for disingenuity over workersâ€™ pay
Payday for workers of the Social Security Board (SSB) is this coming Friday, January 30, but by the standards of the institution that is four days late. Only a handful of the 300 employees have been paid - those attached to CIBC First Caribbean Bank. The issue is the SSBâ€™s plan to implement a trans...

CWU president addresses internal issues
President of the Christian Workersâ€™ Union (CWU), Audrey Matura-Shepherd, is juggling many issues as the large-sprawling union continues to find its way back from the low points of the presidency of Antonio Gonzalez. There are threats of an audit of union accounts which we will tell you about shortly...

Alleged murderer of Panamanian diplomat returns to court
The case of 18 year old Wilser Echeverria, accused murderer of Panamanian Diplomat Jose Rodrigo De La Rosa Standford, continued on Tuesday. On November 26th Wilser Echeverria, a resident of Salvapan Area, Belmopan, was charged for theft of a motor vehicle assigned to Panamanian Diplomat Jose De La R...

Missing girl found safe
On Monday, we reported on the missing persons report on 15 year old Anna Villanueva, a resident of Corozal Town. Anna was reported missing by her mother when she received a text saying “, “Help, I’m in trouble”. For three days the mother tried to reach her daughter on the phone after that me...

15 year old pregnant; 21 year old boyfriend arrested
A 15-year-old of San Pedrito Area, San Pedro Town, visited the San Pedro Police Station in the company of her mother, and reported that on December 24, 2014, at around 11:30 p.m...

Former Youth Ambassador gets more jail time for forgery
In the court of Justice Adolph Lucas, 25 year old Kenroy Young pleaded guilty last week to five counts of uttering on a false document in respect of cheques he cashed in Belize City and Belmopan in 2011. Those were cheques that he took illegally from Regent Insurance Company. On Tuesday, he was sent...

Man stabbed in San Pedro
Three men say they were attacked on Monday afternoon in San Pedro, on the island of Ambergris Caye. According to police reports, 22-year-old Edvin Lopez of D.F.C Area, San Pedro Town , along with Daniel Tzib and another friend known only as “Oscar”, were travelling on a golf cart in the D.F...

PUP Leader addresses candidacy of Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez
In November, Orange Walk East area representative for the Peopleâ€™s United Party (PUP), Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez, indicated that he would not run for a second term due to health reasons...

Hepatitis A outbreak in Buena Vista, Cayo
Ministry of Healthy officials have confirmed a number of cases of Hepatitis A in Buena Vista Cayo District, enough, authorities say, to call it a Hepatitis A outbreak. So what is Hepatitis A? Hepatitis A is a viral liver disease that can cause mild to severe illness, however unlike its cousins, Hepa...

Positive test result for Avian Influenza H5N2 in at least one chicken farm
On the 15^th January BAHA informed the general public of having detected Avian Influenza type A in two poultry farms in Spanish Lookout, Cayo District. It was detected as a result of routine testing under the Belize Poultry Improvement Plan. Samples tested by an International reference Laborato...

Upgrades for Corozal Market and Sports Complex
The Contract for the upgrading and rehabilitation of the Corozal Town Market and Sports Complex facilities is valued at $721,789.40 and was signed On Monday in Belmopan. The contract for the two facilities was signed by Mr. Liborio Vega of LV and SONS Construction, and Mr. William Lamb Jr...

San Ignacio Primary School parents want principal removed
There are reports of growing contention in the Arms of Love Primary School in the Kontiki Area of San Ignacio. On Friday January 23rd Parents gathered at the school compound holding placards advocating for the immediate removal of the principal. In 2012 the parents filed a complaint to the Ministry of Education, who in turn got in contact with the management of the school, and advised them on a way forward. Two and a half years later and the parents say nothing has been done. Inga Guy, President of the Parent Teacher’s Association, spoke to Plus News. “For the past two and a half years we have endured many injustices under the hand of our Principal. After those two and a half years, the parents, we are tired. Management has not done anything to help us. They’ve covered their ears and [are] blind to our complaints. We want a change for our children and the teachers, because they are the ones who are victimized.”

Patrick Jones

Landfill program to benefit Southside residents
The Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation headed by Minister Anthony Martinez is spearheading a project on Southside Belize City to provide landfill to residents of the Port Loyola, Lake Independence, Collet and Pickstock divisions to alleviate conditions of low-lying yards inundated by rains. This morning the Minister of State in the Ministry and Lake Independence area representative Mark King kicked off his leg of the project a few days ahead of schedule. King expects that for the next three months in his division close to 2,000 loads of landfill will be distributed to fulfill the many requests made by constituents.

PUP National Executive updates on Marco Tulio Mendez allegations
Late this evening a meeting of the National Executive of the People’s United Party (PUP) concluded and leader Francis Fonseca addressed the press downstairs of Independence Hall. One of the topics on the agenda were the swirling allegations of impropriety against Orange Walk East area representative Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez, which have reportedly now expanded to include reported criminal reports of indecent sexual assault on minors. Police have made no formal statements and the matter is “evolving and fluid” in the words of Fonseca, who reiterated that so far nothing formal has come to his attention personally or that of the party and they treat what has been said as rumours and speculation, but very serious nonetheless.

Rights inclusion conference underway in Belize City
WIN-Belize in conjunction with UNIBAM is hosting a rights inclusion conference at the Radisson Fort George Hotel in Belize City. The purpose of the conference according Caleb Orozco is to follow up on legislation and policies that protect the rights of citizens of the LGBT community and other vulnerable populations including those living with HIV and AIDS. We followed up with Orozco on the lengthy delay of the decision Supreme Court on his lawsuit related to Section 53 of the Criminal Code which was heard in May, 2013 but for which a judgment has yet to be delivered 17 months later.

Muslim convention set for this weekend in Belize City
Ahmadiyyah Muslim community in Belize is hosting the first ever convention of members of the community in Belize on Saturday at the ITVETT compound on Freetown Road. It boats of having the fastest growing membership among the 73 sects of Islam which it attributes to its modern approach and emphasis on promoting and proselytizing a pure and pristine form of the religion started by the Prophet Mohammed. At a briefing with the press this morning, visiting leaders said that they distance themselves and condemn the actions of more traditionalist Muslims in the Middle East which have resorted to violent tactics in order to preach the religion.

Blogs

Jerry Jeff Walker, Music Legend, Fills Ambergris Caye Belize With His Loyal Fans
Let me get to his concert, last night, in Belize. Where he had about 300 fans dancing and laughing and drinking and having a grand old Texas time. The “Camp” isn’t just a Sunday event with Jerry Jeff and then two concerts during the week…it is a series of picking parties around town. Businesses around San Pedro LOVE Jerry Jeff’s buckeroos. Everyone was in a brilliant mood…happy, drinking Belikins and more… Later in the evening, musician Christine Albert joined the crew. She is a musician and also happens to be the Recording Academy Chair for the Grammy Awards.

The Bountiful Beauty of Belizean Birds
Along with stunning scenery and a wealth of Maya temples and archaeological sites, Belize is also known for an amazing diversity and number of birds. From flocks of migrants attracted to the veritable supermarket of insects and plants found in the country’s pristine rainforests, to the many multihued residents such as parrots, scarlet macaws, falcons and other tropical forest dwellers, little Belize always has a backdrop of delightful birdsong to accompany any activity. But just how many birds do call Belize home? Each year the Belize Audubon Society conducts the Annual Christmas Bird Count to get a rough idea of the local population and visitors.

Where water meets your soul, Belize!
Suddenly you realise you are in a new country. You aren’t here for work. You don’t have to listen to trains and sirenes and garbage trucks. Suddenly you are aware of your body and the fatigue that your ankles and your heels have managed for so long on your grind. You came here to unwind. You are truly very tired – in every way – emotionally, mentally, physically and even spiritually. A perfect moment occurred somewhere in your kitchen back home; somewhere on your commute back home from work; somewhere in the middle of a day that was filled with computers and every possible electronic device on the planet. That perfect moment included two decisions that we are absolutely thankful you took the time to organise and decide. First, that you needed a vacation and, second, that you decided that “its time to come to Belize”! There are a multitude of things to do here. Nine can take you on tours everywhere. From Ancient Maya Cities to Caves, to Mountains to do some hiking – everywhere, even to Guatemala!

Four Top Retirement Havens Where it’s Easy to Integrate
“When looking at great retirement destinations overseas, low costs and affordable real estate may be well and good, but you need to feel at home,” says InternationalLiving.com editor Steenie Harvey. “How easy is it for expats to integrate into each country? Do the locals speak good English or do you need to speak the local language? Are the locals welcoming and friendly toward expats, and is there an existing expat community with lots of groups and clubs to join?” InternationalLiving.com’s just-released annual Global Retirement Index ranks and rates the best retirement havens in the world today in eight categories and Ireland, New Zealand, Malta and Belize each receive a perfect score of 100 in the Index’s “Fitting in” category.

Diving the Long Caye Aquarium never disappoints
There is a dive site often overshadowed by the Great Blue Hole and Half Moon Caye, but it is seldom lacking in beauty or adventure. The Long Caye Aquarium is sometimes lost in all the hype that surrounds the Blue Hole, but I’ve been on many excursions where it was the highlight of the trip, the last stop, that has occasionally picked up the slack when the previous two were disappointing. An excursion to the Lighthouse Reef Atoll, aka the Blue Hole trip, almost always includes a final stop at the Aquarium. Though you probably won’t see as many big marine life as seen at Half Moon Caye, what makes this dive site live up to its reputation is that it’s often teeming with schools of bermuda chubs, sergeant majors, creole wrasse, and the occasional trumpet fish. On a good day, from the moment you jump into the water, you’re surrounded by a swarm of yellow and black stripes, with blurs of blue and green darting around and popping out of coral crevices.

Belizean Plantain Chips
Green Plantain are the best for making chips. By using a plantain slicer you can make the slices very thin and that makes for a crispy chip. Just add salt and serve.

ATTENTION PARENTS: YOUR EMOTIONS ARE CONTAGIOUS
To stay healthy, people will do everything short of quarantining themselves to avoid getting coughed on, sneezed on, or breathed on by the sickly. As a parent, you’re probably well aware of how quickly contagious diseases like the flu can travel through a family—nay, a neighborhood. Teachers notice the same thing when they see student after student calling in sick until the class is but a mere figment of the imagination. Research has also shown that in the workplace, one negative employee can spoil the bunch. A negative outlook on anything, whether it’s the administration, a client, or a department, can affect the morale of everyone around. So what does this have to do with families? Believe it or not, the same research that shows how a negative attitude can “catch on” in families just as easily as it does in the office.

A visual tour of Placencia Village on a beautiful, perfect Tuesday morning!
In chronological order, starting North of the village at Caribbean Beach Cabanas, and ending at Above Ground Coffee House (yum!). Especially good if you are stuck in a blizzard today. The shore in front of Caribbean Beach Cabanas.....wow. Heading towards the village, South, from Caribbean Beach Cabanas...

International Sources

Texas Bob Marley Day of Action on Social Justice Forum
In February 2014, members of Houston's growing Caribbean-American and Immigrant community in the state of Texas, petitioned their elected leaders to proclaim February 6 as Bob Marley Day in Texas in honor of the legendary musical icon's birthday. A forum in partnership with one of the city's and state's leading community advocacy organization on social justice, immigration reform, voter education and income inequality, Mi Familia Vota, is a leader in advocating for these causes.

Share a passion for diving? Head to Belize Coral Reef or the Mafia Island
Belize is situated on the Caribbean mainland coast of Central America and lives up to its reputation as one of the region's best diving destinations. Some diving enthusiasts come here and choose to stay in a resort while others experience more of the destination by liveaboard safari, either way you choose to spend a Belizian holiday, there's a wealth of underwater riches in this Caribbean paradise. Good news is that the warm, clear water at the dive sites imply ideal conditions for exploring the underwater realm. DIVING SEASON: You don't need to wait for the right season, in Belize, every month is usually suitable for diving. February and March represent the driest months. March to June experiences occasional rainfall and August to October is considered the wet season, represents the more likely period for hurricanes (if you are beginner, then avoid the wet spell). Visibility remains constant year-round, away from the mainland shore.

MOOCs and Meetups Together Make for Better Learning
Local meetups organized by Arjan and other partners around the world had a significant impact on the learning experience of Beyond Silicon Valley MOOC students in these communities. These grass-roots gatherings gave students the same opportunity to learn from one another as in a traditional classroom, as Jeff Wofford, the Facility Manager at the United States Embassy in Belmopan, Belize who facilitated MOOC-inspired meetups in Belize, experienced. "Students here gained a lot of insight by taking the time to sit and discuss the lessons in person," Wofford noted. "We had a nice cross-section of attendees, from University of Belize students to Belizeans who had owned and operated businesses for decades. In several instances, a comment made by one of the students lead to one of those great 'a-ha!' moments with another student, and the exchanges went both ways."

Court: Bain Decision Won't Be Delayed
The Full Court has promised to hand down its decision without undue delay in the suit brought by Professor Brendan Bain, who is seeking more than $40 million in damages for defamation, arising from the termination of his two-year contract in May last year by the University of the West Indies, Mona. Bain is suing for breach of contract, breach of constitutional rights and defamation. In addition to the defamation award, he is seeking nine months' salary for breach of contract, which he said was the time when the contract would end. He said he earned US$12,380 per month. He is also asking the court to award him US$37,000 for the three months' notice of the termination of his contract. He said the university had only given him three weeks notice instead of the three months notice stipulated in the contract.

Dominica to become fourth full member of CCJ
Dominica will be the fourth Caribbean Community country to become a full member of the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) early next month, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has announced. Dominica will join Barbados, Guyana and Belize in being members of both the Original and Appellate Jurisdictions of the CCJ that was established in 2001 to replace the London-based Privy Council as the region's final court. The CCJ also acts as an international tribunal interpreting the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas that governs the 15-member regional integration movement.

Videos

Drone video: Maya Ruins in Belize, 4.5min. Altun Ha

"Sailing in Belize" - Part I and "The Search for Captain John's Dignity" - Part II, 73min.

Quintana vs Belize Copa Yucatán, 7min.

Quintana vs Belize 2 Copa Yucatán 2015, 13min.

Jerry Jeff Walker Camp Belize at Fido's Bar January 2015, 1/2min.

Snorkeling Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley San Pedro Belize, 4min. Snorkeling at Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley off of Ambergris Caye on the way to Caye Caulker

Belizean Cove Estates, San Pedro, Belize, 4min.

NORWEGIAN PEARL CRUISE - BELIZE CITY, BELIZE - WESTERN CARIBBEAN, 13min. Belize City is the largest city in the Central American country of Belize and was once the capital of the former British Honduras.

Live Music at Club JJ's (San Ignacio, Cayo, Belize), 1.5min. Live music featuring members of "Mo' Mojo" from the USA and "In Bloom" from San Ignacio at Club JJ's in San Ignacio, Cayo, Belize located across from Victor Galvez Stadium and beside Cayo Twist.

BELIZE Go Pro Movie, 7.5min. Movie of our trip to Belize and Guatemala via Texas.

Carnival Magic Cruise To Honduras, Belize, Cozumel 2015 - Day 3, 24min.

Belize Moto Adventures - Hopkins / Coastal Road, 8min. Moto trip down the Coastal Road and the Southern Highway to reach Hopkins for lunch.

Belize 2014 Sharptown, 6.5min.

January 28, 2015

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

A wine dinner for the ages with Wine de Vine
I’ve finally recovered enough to tell you about what a fantastic night I had the other day at the Montes Alpha wine dinner. My hubby works for Wine de Vine (not too shabby eh?) and so I have had the opportunity to learn about wines, and wouldn’t you know it, I’ve got good taste! Montes Alpha ranks right up there on my list! Hosted by Hidden Treasure, the first wine dinner for 2015 was a special treat. Sonia Montanares of the Montes Alpha company in Chile was on hand to talk about the various wines being poured. There were several courses being served, and each course had its accompanying wine…so, after I made the sign of the cross, I dove right in!

Five ladies to participate in La Riena del Carnaval Pageant 2015
The San Pedro Carnaval Committee, working along with Flora Ancona’s Carnaval Group is proud to introduce this year’s contestants of La Riena del Carnaval Pageant (the selection of a Carnaval Queen) 2015. This year, five ladies will participate in four different segments in an effort to win the coveted title. The participants are 49-year-old Rose Marie Linarez, 51-year-old Silvia Patricia Lopez, 48-year-old Nerie Itzab, 42-year-old Sinia Catalina Cruz and 44 year old Zeida Alamilla. Organized by Ancona’s Carnaval Group, all proceeds will be used for their comparsas costume and other expenses. The pageant is scheduled for Saturday February 7th at the San Pedro High School auditorium, starting at 7:30PM. The participants will see the ladies participate in sportswear, talent performance, evening gowns and even a Question and Answer segment.

Education Stakeholders on Human Trafficking receive training from CDF
Teachers from across Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker, and other education stakeholders received a training seminar from Tom Sharp of The Child Development Foundation (CDF). Held at the Sunbreeze Conference Room on Thursday, January 22nd, the seminar entailed participants’ learning methods to teach school children about abuse and human trafficking. Apart from gaining valuable experience, the participating teachers were also awarded credits by the Teacher Education Development Services of the Ministry of Education. CDF is a Christian non-profit organization with aims of addressing the growing issue of the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) in Belize. Sharp explained that at many times, teachers find it challenging to talk to children about these subjects, especially the younger students. The seminar sensitized educators on the proper methods of addressing these topics.

Saga hosts Southern Comfort Food Cook-off
Saga Humane Society supporters gorged themselves on the best of southern comfort food at the first cook-off of 2015. Hosted at SandBar on Thursday, January 22nd, the fundraising event saw 10 food entries. The monthly cook-off raises much needed funds for Saga’s Spay/Neuter Initiative Program (SNIP) Campaign. Dishes ranged from chicken soup with grilled cheese sandwiches to southern classics with a twist like chorizo mac & cheese. For a contribution of only $15, attendees got to sample all the dishes. For the cost of $25, VIP guests skipped the line and got their plate of food delivered to their table! The tasting dishes included: Nancy Nida’s chicken soup with grilled cheese sandwiches, Ray’s Big Dog’s peel n eat shrimp, Lick’s plantain and conch fritters, Heather Smith’s hash brown casserole, Di Vu’s gumbo and southern comfort apple pie, Cori Sterrenberg’s chorizo mac & cheese, Letty Hernandez’s scalloped potatoes, SandBar’s cheddar potato casserole, Parker Ault’s hush puppies, and Ice & Beans’ donuts.

Ambergris Today

Government Pledges to Remove Belize’s Barrier Reef from World Heritage in Danger List
Following a week-long constructive discussion with UNESCO's World Heritage Centre and IUCN, the Government of Belize agreed to start talks on critical conservation challenges related positive to the removal of the Belize Barrier Reef from the World Heritage List in Danger. From January 19-23, 2015, UNESCO's World Heritage Center, in cooperation with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), undertook a technical support mission to Belize with the objective of assisting the Government in its efforts to prepare a road map for the removal of the Belize Barrier Reef from the List of World Heritage in Danger.

Isla Bonita Elementary Holds Open Day Exhibition
The upper division students of Isla Bonita Elementary School held an open day educational exhition on Friday, Janurary 23, 2015. The exhibits were open to the public and other schools on the island. It was very well attended and booths/displays from the students of Std. 5 and Std. 6 classes included information on the following topics: Rights of a Child, Child Abuse, Alcohol Abuse, Drug Abuse, STI's (Sexually Transmitted Infections), HIV/AIDS.

Mrs. Reina Del Carnaval to Liven up Celebrations Again
After a very, very, very successful Mrs. Reina Del Carnaval that was held for the very first time last year in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize, the island is ready for another great pageant. This week, five contestants have been announced for the second annual pageant that will be held during the San Pedro, Carnaval Festivities. Set to be held at the R. Angel Auditorium on February 7, 2015, five contestants will grace the stage with slapstick humor that characterizes the spirit and celebration of the traditional Carnaval of San Pedro. The Mrs. Reina del Carnaval Pageant is organized by Mrs. Flora Ancona’s Comparsa Group that year after year entertains during the three days of street dancing of Carnaval. The pageant contestants are older women (Mrs.) who prove that beauty comes in all ages. 1. Silvia Patricia Lopez, 2. Neri Itzab, 3. Sinia Cruz, 4. Rose Marie Linarez, 5. Zeida Alamilla

Misc Belizean Sources

THE BUA ENDORSEMENT OF VIP 7 FOR THE BELMOPAN TOWN COUNCIL SLATE
In preparation for the upcoming Belmopan municipal elections, the Vision Inspired by the People (VIP) movement has put forth its full slate of candidates headed by Mayoral Candidate - Hubert Enriquez along with six Councillor Candidates, namely: Paul Morgan, Landy Cal, Kamil Espat, Clement Estrada, Eudell Bennett and Henry Dueck. In keeping with the BUA’s three, fundamental functions which include: (1) To provide support for alternative political parties and independent candidates, (2) To endorse alternative parties and candidates in local and national elections and (3) To advance the growth of the democratic process in Belize by means of education,the BUA endorses the VIP 7, slate of candidates. Our endorsement of this dynamic team stems from the acknowledgement that the VIP shares our core values attributed to good governance principles and is committed to making substantive changes through political and social action. The hallmarks of:responsibility, accountability and transparency are the foundations of this bond.

New Dormitory and Resource and Visitor’s Center Opens at Youth Hostel
A new Dormitory Facility and Resource and Visitor’s Center will be officially opened on January 29th , 2015 at 10:00 a.m. at the Youth Hostel Facility at Mile 21 ½ on the George Price Highway. Remarks will be provided by Hon. Mark King, Minister of State in the Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation and Ms. Anneke Jessen, IDB Representative in Belize. Brief presentations will be done by the youths currently residing at the facility. The New Dormitory Facility and Resource and Visitor’s Center is an initiative under the Community Action for Public Safety (CAPS) Project which is funded through a loan facility between the Government of Belize and the Inter-American Development Bank. The project is being executed by the Project Execution Unit of the Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation.

Mo'Mojo off to San Ignacio!
Mo'Mojo had a blast in Corozal. They visited Santa Rita and had an excellent concert last night! Now they are headed to San Ignacio for the final leg of their tip in Belize. See you at the concert tomorrow night!

Belize agrees to Chart Road Map solving Critical Conservation Issues to remove Belize Barrier Reef from Danger List
Following a week-long constructive discussion with UNESCO's World Heritage Centre and IUCN, the government of Belize agreed to start talks on critical conservation challenges related to the removal of the Belize Barrier Reef from the World Heritage List in Danger. From 19-23 January 2015, UNESCO's World Heritage Centre, in cooperation with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), undertook a technical support mission to Belize with the objective of assisting the government in its efforts to prepare a road map for the removal of the Belize Barrier Reef from the List of World Heritage in Danger. Honorable Prime Minister Dean Barrow welcomed the UNESCO representatives and expressed his willingness to chart a course forward on key management requirements for a sustainable future for the reef. Prime Minister Barrow confirmed government’s policy position to prohibit oil exploitation within and adjacent to the protected areas in the Belize Barrier Reef System.

Tourism Minister bails man charged with possession of drugs
Tourism Minister Manuel Heredia bailed a man charged with posession of cannabis. On Saturday, January 17th at approximately 6:20 p.m., San Pedro Police on patrol at the corner of Almond and Tarpon Streets, noticed a man in a white T-shirt and a green short pants standing on Chicken Street and walking around a tank in the area. He handed something to a person who had approached him. Police conducted a search on the male person, however, nothing incriminating was found on him. A search was then conducted around the tank where police found a black plastic bag containing green leafy substance suspected to be cannabis. The suspected cannabis along with the accused person was taken to San Pedro Police Station where he was identified as 43-year-old Edward Jones of Tarpon Street. The suspected cannabis was weighed and amounted to 8 grams. Police then arrested and charged Jones for the offence of Possession of Controlled Drugs.

Booths are available for the Carnaval Fiesta! Block Party on Friday, February 13th, at the Central Park!
We will have prizes for the Best Carnaval Inspired Booth, Best Carnaval Inspired Drink and Best Carnaval Inspired Food! You can sign up by visiting the San Pedro Town Council's office, by phone (226-2936) or by sending us a message on facebook. SIGN UP NOW!

Museum of Belize, A Year in Review

Channel 7

Minors Make Complaints About Hon. Marco Tulio Mendez
Orange Walk East Representative Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez is facing charges of child molestation tonight. First off, because minors are involved, we cannot go into details about his relationship with the accusers. But we can say definitively that today two children in the company of a female adult went to the Department of Social Services Office in Orange Walk Town to make a report that Mendez had inappropriate contact of a sexual nature with them. Credible reports tells us that the allegations are being made by two teenaged females who allege that the inappropriate contact started some years ago - before the age of consent. We were reliably informed this evening that the matter has been turned over to police for a criminal investigation. Sources tell us that it is possible that charges at least of indecent assault will be brought against Mendez. Indecent assault is the charge employed when there has been fondling but not penetration.

SSB Workers Still Not Paid: Christian Workers Blame It On CWU
300 employees from Social Security still haven't gotten paid their end of month salary. For the 33 years that Social Security has been established, workers always get their end of month pay on the 26th of the month - but this week, history has been made. It's caused a major inconvenience for the employees because all of their bills and other financial commitments have been scheduled around that 26th pay date. Right now, there is a lot of finger pointing between the Management of SSB and the Christian Worker's Union. We've been following the story since last week Friday, and what both sides agree on is that the management of Social Security decided to roll out what is called a "transitional increment" to reward employees for their high level of performance. It was to replace the bonus that each employee gets in March after they're assessed by Key Performance Indicators (KPI) system.

Shooting Victim Pitts Stable, In Intensive Care
27 year old Eugene Pitts remains in a stable condition in the Intensive Care Unit of the KHMH this evening. As we reported, he was at a party in Hattieville on Friday night when he was shot in the back with a shotgun. The pellets penetrated his midsection and caused a variety of injuries to his internal organs. We are told he is in a stable condition and despite his injuries, his prognosis is encouraging.

Forger Asks Court For Leniency; He Wants To Be A Lawyer
25 year-old Kenroy Young, who is already serving prison time is spending the first night of an additional 5 year prison sentence for forgery related offences. That's the sentence that Justice Adolph Lucas gave him after considering his guilty plea, and his mitigation plea for a lesser sentence, declaring his wish to study law after being released. Young was charged with 19 counts of uttering upon a false documents dating back from November 5 to November 13 of 2008. When his case was called up for trial last week Wednesday, he pleaded guilty to 5 of the 19 counts and asked the court to forgo a trial. The rest were then withdrawn by the prosecutor, Crown Counsel Portia Staine, on the premise that the other counts are in relation to the same sums of money which he stole, $15,750.

What's The Chik-V Verdict?
The last time we reported on Chikungunya in Belize was in November, when CARPHA, the Caribbean Public Health Agency confirmed the first case - which came out of Las Flores in Belmopan. We know that other samples were pending verification, but since then, we haven't really heard anything. So did Chik-V just go away? Today the CEO in the Ministry of Health told us that it kinda did!:... Dr. Peter Allen, Chief Executive Officer, Ministry of Health "As you know while there was real chaos in Jamaica and actually a state of emergency was declared in Surinam, our people linked with the community actions of member of the community throughout the country, were able to limit the number of confirm Chik-V cases to less than 10 for last year." Jules Vasquez "Sir, I have a healthy skepticism on Chik-V situation, are you able to say specifically, how many samples were sent to CARPHA for testing? How many were confirmed as negative or positive from CARPHA?"

Avian Infuenza Causing Poultry Farm Losses
Two weeks ago we reported on the poultry samples from two farms in Spanish lookout that were tested for avian influenza. Well the results are in and the samples have tested positive for Avian Influenza antibodies. But don't fret, your chicken and eggs are safe! A press briefing was held today to reassure the public that: 1.) the actual full-blown virus has not been detected in the samples - so there is no cause for alarm and 2.) The results of this test will not impact supply or price of chicken and eggs. Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr. Miguel Depaz outlines some of the key measures put in place to ensure that these cases are contained.

Woman Alleges Special Branch Abuse; Commander Says No
We often report on allegations of police and GSU brutality but tonight we have complaints about the Special Branch Unit's new secret strike team. 39 year old Belama resident Shelmodine Panting came to our studios this morning all shook up. Panting says that members of the Special Branch Unit broke down her front door for no reason last night. No one was at her home at the time of the incident and according to her neighbors, the officers were demanding to see Panting. Here is her story. Voice of; Shelmodine Panting, Police Destroyed Property "I got the call after 10pm last night at Belama from the neighbor. I had at least 4-5 miscalls and so U decide to call back one of the number and the lady Ms. Georgia, my neighbor in front of me, told me that the police stomped down my door. After that my daughter call me and says that she is leaving from work now because she got to understand that police stomped down the door. She got the call from the same neighbor. When I reached there the neighbors were alarm, they (police) was on the rooftop and firing shots. They were firing shots I don't know at who, but I guess somebody they were firing shot after or they were chasing somebody. According to the neighbors, they came in 3-4 vehicles."

New Breast Cancer Diagnostic Unit At KHMH
The KHMH opened its breast cancer diagnostic unit today. It's the product of a generous donation of mammography equipment and technical assistance from the Carolinas Healthcare System. We found out more at the handing over today:.. Dr. Lisa Johnson, DMS - KHMH "The donation of the Lorad M-IV Series Mammography Unit, with workstation and storage capacity, a reader, the ultrasound machine and the Mammotome Biopsy System, is worth something in the neighborhood of one hundred thousand US dollars."

When Will Belize Have A National Museum?
In Belize, it's highly unlikely to find 'a trip to the museum' on someone's list of things to do or places to go. Well, NICH along with other stakeholders are trying to change that by drafting a master plan to construct a state of the art National Museum. Today a forum was held at the House of Culture to discuss key elements and features that can inspire Belizeans to visit. A master plan of the museum will be presented to NICH by the Lord Cultural Resources organization in September. If all goes as planned this time around - the Museum will be built in Belmopan on ten acres set aside by the Belmopan City Council - since the last plot - beside social security was sold right before the 2008 elections.

Matura-Shepherd Lashes Out At Port CEO
Last week, we showed you our interview with Arturo "Tux" Vasquez, the CEO of the Port of Belize, in which he reacted to the comments made by Audrey Matura-Shepherd, President of the Christian Workers Union. She says that the union will be going back to the beginning of the bargaining process for the Stevedores, because their position is that the former executives of the union, Antonio Gonzalez and James McFoy, supposedly misled the bargaining process. That has caused some concern for the Port's current management since certain agreements were already reached. Vasquez believes that it is unreasonable to scrap all that progress and go way back to the beginning. Today, the CWU president was asked to comment on the response from Vasquez and she didn't mince words:

Still With The Mandamus
Matura-Shepherd is still the attorney of cane farmer Lucilo Teck, who is seeking a Mandamus against the Sugar Industries Control Board. Now, you will remember that the season finally opened yesterday at 10 a.m. That was only possible after the Sugar Industries Control Board declared the season open. So, if you're thinking that the Mandamus case is now inconsequential, we thought so too, since there is no need to compel an action which has already been taken. Matura-Shepherd says that acting as attorney, she will press the case nevertheless: "We filed the substantive claim before a crop grinding season was declared open, but that does not nullify our application before the court, because if you were in court you will hear that one of the complaint that they had about our application, was that it went beyond a mandamus, where we were seeking certain declarations.

Channel 5

P.U.P. Leader Speaks on Allegations against Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez
Where is Doctor Marco Tulio Mendez? That’s the question everybody’s asking after some very serious and disturbing allegations about the P.U.P. Area Representative in Orange Walk East spread like wildfire [...]

K.H.M.H. C.E.O. Gives Update on Case of Lucia Martinez
Most Belizeans, or at least those who watch the news, are likely family with the case of Lucia Martinez. Eighteen year old Martinez had her first child at the K.H.M.H. [...]

Hepatitis Outbreak in the West
Today, the Ministry of Health is working to contain a localized outbreak of Hepatitis A at a government school in Buena Vista, Cayo. According to reports, there was one case [...]

CWU Investigates Alleged Misappropriation of Union Funds by Past Executive
CWU President Audrey Matura-Shepherd has been in the news more often lately than she has been out of it. Currently the union is embroiled in a Collective Bargaining Agreement dispute [...]

Audrey Matura-Shepherd Reveals Who Has Asked Her to Run for Office
Matura-Shepherd was also asked about her political future. It’s become the propaganda of choice for the United Democratic Party, which for weeks has been claiming that Matura-Shepherd has been compromised [...]

Is Wiretapping a Reality in Belize?
Has the Government of Belize secured highly trained Israeli surveillance team to monitor phone conversations and text messages? For some time now, several reports have been claiming that this is [...]

Why Did the Cleopatra White Health Center Close Down on Friday?
Last week Friday, the Cleopatra White Polyclinic closed its doors and sent waiting patients home. That’s because there was somebody waiting for attention with an open abscess which ruptured right [...]

What’s the Deal with the Deputy Director of Health Services?
And from matters of health and infection to matters of internal politics…Doctor Allen has certainly seen his share of controversy and contention. Right now he’s dealing with a vacant post [...]

From Internal Politics to Corruption…C.E.O. on Health Audits
And from internal politics to corruption…last year after audits of the Punta Gorda Polyclinic and the Dangriga Polyclinic administrators of both were let go. The audits allegedly turned up evidence [...]

Belize City Man Sentenced for Forgery
Once a Belize Youth Ambassador to the United Nations, twenty-five year old Kenroy Young was sentenced to prison for forgery. The U.B. graduate has been serving a seven year sentence [...]

Ryon King – Not Guilty of Arson
A jury found thirty-six year old Ryon King not guilty of arson this afternoon. Back in February 2010, King’s then common-law wife Kendra Pennil accused him of setting her mattress [...]

Missing Corozal Girl Found
Corozal teen Ana Villanueva has been found. Corozal police say the fifteen year old is now safe and in good health. We told you on Monday night that the fifteen [...]

Carnal Knowledge in the West and San Pedro
Tonight the brothers from Calla Creek, who allegedly had sexual intercourse with a teen who is now pregnant, are in police custody. Police arrested and charged twenty-five year old Maysin [...]

Avian Flu Confirmed in One Poultry Farm in the West
Today at the conference room of the Central Health Region in Belize City, representatives from the Belize Agricultural Health Authority, the Poultry Industry and the Ministries of Agriculture and Health [...]

…Authorities Put Containment Measures in Place
The virus primarily affects poultry and according to BAHA, there is a low risk for transmission from poultry to humans; there is also no evidence of human to human transmission. [...]

K.H.M.H. Opens a Breast Cancer Diagnosis Unit
Just a couple weeks ago the K.H.M.H. benefitted from the donation of two cell saver machines from Spine Overseas, and today the institution’s international partners came through again. Through ongoing [...]

Social Security Employees Go Home with Empty Pockets
There is some contention between the Christian Workers Union and the Social Security Board. The result of that contention is that three hundred S.S.B. workers, always paid on the twenty-sixth [...]

FCD Meets with Guatemalan Counterparts to Discuss Illegal Issues in Chiquibul
The Friends for Conservation and Development, better known as FCD, has been working tirelessly to stop a number of illegal activities inside the Chiquibul. For the FCD, illegal logging remains [...]

The Subculture of a Car Show
Fans flocked to the northern entrance of Belize City on Sunday for a unique event that is growing in popularity. Owners of the hottest cars and motorcycles turned out to [...]

CTV3

Avian Influenza Type A Positively Identified In Belize
Last week we told you about suspected cases of Avian Flu emerging from two farms in the Cayo District and today continued surveillance and testing confirmed that one of the two farms have come back with positive results. According to Samples tested by an International reference Laboratory in the USA has confirmed the presence of Avian influenza H5N2 antibodies in one farm only but not the live virus. BAHA continues to test and has detected the presence of Avian Influenza Type A on another farm. There are very few clinical signs in the affected birds, which may indicate a response to the low pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N2 virus. This virus predominantly affects poultry. There is very low risk of transmission from poultry to humans and there is no evidence of human to human transmission.

Corozal Police Gets New Computers
Viewers may recall that last year Inspector Daniel Arzu launched an initiative that was geared at benefitting underprivileged students of Corozal Town. And with the nature of job, later that same year, inspector Arzu was transferred to the Cayo District and the project unfinished. The good news tonight is that not all good has gone to waste since members of the Corozal Community Policing and Officer Commanding the Corozal Police Department Superintendent Andrew Ramirez have filled up the gap in making Arzu’s initiative a true success. And today, the Corozal Community policing department has acquired fourteen new computers which were donated by the U.S Embassy in Belize through the CARSI program. According to Superintendent Andrew Ramirez, nine of the fourteen computers will be set up in the Drop-in Center where many students will have access to them.

DPM's Brother Gets Contract For Corozal Market
Another Municipal Development Project has been awarded to a relative of Minister of Natural Resources and Agriculture, Gaspar Vega. A release from the Social Investment Fund in partnership with the World Bank issued today states that a Contract for the upgrading and rehabilitation of the Corozal Town Market and Sports Complex facilities is valued at $721,789.40. The contract for the two (2) facilities was signed by Mr. Liborio Vega of LV and SONS Construction, and Mr. William Lamb Jr. the Executive Director, Belize Social Investment Fund, at the Belize Social Investment Fund (BSIF) headquarters in Belmopan on yesterday’s date. The market project is designed to upgrade a section of the existing market of 220 square meters particularly 15 market stalls which were in a dilapidated condition that poses serious health and security risks and natural disasters to both vendors and patrons. According to the release, the objective is to provide a safer and more pleasant environment for vendors and shoppers resulting in significant improvement in the quality of life for residents in Corozal Town and surrounding communities.

Sugar Road Concern For Cane Farmers
Throughout the course of the negotiations with BSI, a faction of the negotiating team at the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association had been steadfast in what they say was obtaining a good deal for farmers. Up until the end of the negotiations, and joined by other parties, the group had remained vocal about their rejection of the terms of the new commercial agreement. Nonetheless, Alfredo Ortega, one of the persons at the forefront of the campaign against the signing of the agreement says he is content the crop has finally started but remains concerned about the conditions of the sugar roads. “It has been a very rough road to reach to this point because of many issues that has transpired but as you know farmers are eager to deliver their cane also because if they don’t deliver they don’t make any money of what they have invested and today we can say and we can thank God because of the movement that is ongoing because there are many hurdles that the farmers are going through for them to transport their material to BSI mill because when we talk about access in regards to roads we have very little work being done on that, thanks to the weather that we are experiencing this week is that farmers are able to transport their material on those conditions of the sugar roads.”

Infant II Student Involve In Traffic Accident
Shortly after the school bell rang at 11:30 today, students from the Presbyterian Primary School on Tate Street rushed home for their daily lunch break. Things almost took a tragic turn when an infant two student was brushed and almost severely hurt in a traffic mishap. From what we have been able to gather, a pickup driven by the owner of an Asian bread factory was commuting on Holy Trinity Street and soon after the child ran across the street and was brushed by the vehicle. But while the child did not suffer much injury other than being shaken up, the driver rendered assistance and took the child to the Hospital, just to make sure. Checks made at the school late this evening revealed that the boy was healthy, alive and kicking as he played with his companions at the school campus. The area though is of concern to many parents since it is a school zone and should have the proper safety measures in place so as to avoid these incidents from occurring in the future.

More Amendements Need To Be Made To The Sugar Act Says BSI/ASR
The sugar crop has started and while the operations remain relatively the same, there are new changes within the industry. The biggest being the registration of two more new associations and the amendments to the sugar act to support these associations. Of course these amendments are long overdue since the court had ruled the changes be made since 2010. Still, stakeholders within the industry have been vocal about the need to further amendments to the sugar act. Yesterday, International Relations for ASR Mac McLachlan told the media there is a need for this to happen as it is an important part in the continued development of the sugar industry. “Everybody would agree in the industry including the government that we need fundamental reforms to the sugar act in due course, those reforms can’t take place immediately I think it would be sensible to have full stakeholder engagement in those reforms so that they can feel that they own whatever comes out of that process in the end and I think what happened before as the Prime Minister said it was basically to implement the changes that the Supreme Court has ask the government to make but I think an important part on looking at the future is how the sugar act can be amend ended to ensure that it putting regulation where regulations needed and taking regulation away where is not needed to enable the industry, this is a private industry to move forward the best way for in the industry stakeholders and that is not something that is going to happen today or tomorrow I believe that would be a part of the discussion of the strategic Development Plan.”

BSCFA Cleans House
The survival of the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association is still very much a concern for administrators of the organization. Following the disbursement of six and a half million dollars in Fairtrade premiums the BSCFA faces decertification from Fairtrade. Another worry is that after disbursing the money, BSCFA had little to no money to conduct daily operations. Despite the speculations however, the BSCFA remains operational but there are still many assessments being made. Today we spoke with Ezequiel Cansino, Chair of the Committee of Management who told us that they will be issuing a statement as to the changes within the association in the near future. He did say too that they are preparing to fire the association’s entire staff. Here is why. “Por el momento si vamos a despedir a los empleados a todos los empleados vamos a despedir y después vamos hacer lo que es el rehiring, los vamos a emplear de nuevo pero no a todos solo a los que realmente vamos a necesitar y lo estamos haciendo por el motivo de que tenemos los fondos que quedan nos permite pagarle a todos estos empleados, por el lado de las divisiones tenemos empleados hasta de 18 años ya aquí, entonces de los fondos que tenemos vamos a pagarles todo lo que la ley exige pagarles entonces les vamos a volver a emplear para que empecemos de nuevo por el temor de que no sabemos cómo vamos a estar en el futuro entonces ya les dimos esa compensación por su trabajo y por tantos años, pero si estamos viendo cómo se va a reestructurar toda la Asociación.”

Cane Of Excellent Quality Delivered On First Day Of Crop
The crop saw a big launch on Monday and the company aimed at receiving six thousand tons of sugar cane for the first day. Deliveries started shortly after ten and stakeholders in the industry were quite content with the start of operations. Today, factory Manager John Gillett informed CTV-3 News in an interview that there is good news as the quality of the cane is impressively good. “I would like to encourage the farmers to continue keep on delivering the good quality cane that they are delivering, so yesterday we were very impressed with the quality of cane that has been delivered and I think it is the first time on the first day of crop that we are seeing ton cane per ton sugar ration below ten and that is an indication that we will be having good cane quality this year and that the cane farmers continue doing what they have been doing.”

Serious Allegation Unbounding Against Area Representative, Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez
Last night, 7news broke a sensational story that embroiled current PUP Orange Walk East Area Representative Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez in an allegation made against him of unbecoming sexual behaviour. While these are strong and damning allegations for anyone, we reiterate that at this point, it is only speculations, since the matter cannot be substantiated and as far as we are concerned no report has been made to police. Several attempts in getting comment from Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez proved unsuccessful. We also tried to get comment from Mendez’s estranged wife but our attempts also proved futile. What we can tell you is that this afternoon Doctor Leslie was at the Department of Human Services here in Orange Walk. We understand that she was accompanied by a police officer. Mendez did not come out the building until after 4:00pm and in order for her to avoid the media her vehicle was driven into an adjacent parking lot by one of the department’s employees from where she got in the vehicle and drove away.

LOVE FM

MOE and KHMH Update on Recent Allegation on The Hospital
On January 16 we told you about 18-year-old, Lucia Martinez, who made several allegations about the Karl Heusnor Memorial Hospital. When Love News spoke to Martinez, she told us that due to negligence from the doctors and nurses, she found out that cotton swabs had been left in her from the time she gave birth in December, which was endangering her life. Love News spoke with the Chief Executive Officer of the KHMH, Dr. Adrian Coye, who spoke to the media about the recent update into this matter. “What I can say because the presence of a lawyer which was what we experience when we had the meeting with her is that this maim has the potential to be a legal case so I wouldn’t necessarily discuss further but in that I can only say that we met her to address a lot of the concerns that they have and we have given the opportunity to be treated by our specialist so that whatever other concerns arise that we can help.

False Allegations Against OW East Representative; Will Problem Arise?
For the last few days rumors have been swirling regarding Orange Walk East representative, Doctor Marco Tulio Mendez. The allegations are that Mendez had engaged in inappropriate behavior. When we checked with authorities yesterday we were told no report had been filed at the domestic violence unit at the police station. Today around midday news spread like wild fire that Mendez’s estranged wife, Doctor Leslie Mendez, was at the Human Development office in Orange Walk making a formal report surrounding the allegations. We made numerous attempts to get in contact with Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez but the calls went straight to voice mail. Love News, however, spoke with a relative who told us Mendez has been severely affected by the allegations and was not available for comment.

Sugar Season Moving Forward; Writ of Mandamus As Well
With the cane season moving forward and the three cane farmers association delivering sugar cane daily, Attorney Audrey Matura Shepherd, says that she will proceed with the Writ of Mandamus. As you may recall, her client, Lucilo Teck, asked the courts for leave for an application for a Writ of Mandamus. Primarily, that Writ of Mandamus, sought to force the SICB to declare the crop season open but with the season already open, Matura Shepherd, says that she will still proceed with the matter. “We did file if you recall the court gave us a time frame by when we should have filled the substantive claim. We filled the substantive claim before the grinding season was open but that does not nullify our application before the court because if you were in court you would have heard that one of the complaints that they had about our application is that it went beyond a mandamus where we were seeking certain declarations so we have proceeded and we will proceed with the request that we have made for I think it was four or five declarations dealing with the interpretation and function of SICB in having to declare open a grinding season their role and we are also looking at the legitimate expectation of farmers that there should have been compliance with the law so come February 23rd there will still be a case.”

Opening of Breast Cancer Diagnostic Unit
Today the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital along with Carolinas HealthCare System, held an opening ceremony for the opening of the Breast Cancer Diagnostic Unit at the KHMH. Love News was spoke to the special envoy for women and children Kim Simplis-Barrow, told us of the importance of having a Breast Cancer Diagnostic Unit. KIM SIMPLIS BARROW “Carolina’s health system partnered with KHMH to donate the equipment that you are seeing here which will greatly help persons men and women who need to have mammograms on a yearly basis. This as you can imagine will significantly improve the quality of life for women and for some men who do have cancer. It’s a significant donation and we are very grateful for the donation because it really goes to show that KHMH is improving its services through partnerships. It’s been a couple years in the making I know that the Vice President and some of his colleagues were here in 2010 and so it’s really good to know that this has come to fruition. It is important as you can imaging for many not having access to screening, that is important it is important to be able to get a mammogram, to be able to get an ultrasound and so it is very important for anyone who feels that they need to have a mammogram at the time or feel that they have a lump to be able to know that there is somewhere they can go to get a mammogram or to be tested so it is so very important I cannot really overstate the importance of having this breast cancer diagnostic unit here at the KHMH.”

Press Conference Clarifies CWU Position
About three hundred employees of the Social Security Board did not get paid yesterday, as has been the practice for the past thirty plus years of existence. Reportedly, the reason behind it was confusion and mis-communication between the management of the Social Security Board, SSB, and the Christian Workers Union, CWU. The SSB gave its workers a transitional increment rather than the bonus they would get at the end of March. According to reports, CWU members at the SSB agreed to the increment however, the leader of the CWU, Audrey Matura-Shepherd, says that the two members who agreed to that had no right to because they do not represent all the members. Matura-Shepherd, called a press conference today where she clarified the Union’s position on this matter. “Any policy decision that the administration wants to change, they have to give us a month’s notice that they are changing their policy because we need to be consulted and involved. And anything to deal with increment, there’s an exact article in the CBA that must be respected.

Update on Presence of Avian Influenza Virus
Last two weeks, the Belize Agricultural Health Authority, BAHA, made it known that they had detected Avian Influenza type A at two poultry farms in Spanish Lookout in the Cayo District. According to BAHA, it was detected as a result of routine testing under the Belize Poultry Improvement Plan. Samples tested by an International reference Laboratory in the USA has confirmed the presence of Avian influenza H5N2 antibodies at one farm only but not the live virus. Today, the CEO in the Ministry of Agriculture, Jose Alpuche and Chief Veterinary Officer, Miguel de Paz, and other personnel, met with the media to update the public. JOSE ALPUCHE “Official results received on Friday 23 January confirmed the presence of Avian Influenza H5N2 antibodies in one farm. No live virus has been detected as yet. BAHA’s ongoing testing of other farms in the Spanish Lookout community has detected the presence of AI type A in one additional farm. Samples of this farm have been sent to the OIE Reference Laboratory for confirmatory tests. Presently these farms are under quarantine and no poultry or no poultry farms can be taken out of these farms as a precautionary measure, while BAHA continues to conduct surveillance in other farms within the Spanish Lookout community, three movement control points were established on Saturday 24 January 2015 to restrict the movement of poultry and poultry products from the Spanish Lookout Community. As I said, this is really a precautionary measure. I would like to emphasize that ongoing tests by BAHA in other commercial flocks in other parts of Belize have confirmed that they are free of Avian Influenza.”

Belizeâ€™s Position on Current Health Issues and Factor
There has been a recent rise of Chikingunya cases reported in Jamaica and a state of emergency reported in Suriname, Dr. Peter Allen, Chief Executive Officer for the Ministry of Health, told Love News that the Ministry of Health and Vector Control Department have managed to have the disease under control in Belize. DR. PETER ALLEN “I am happy to tell you, it gives me the opportunity to congratulate our environmental health team. The Vector Control Staff would go out in the fields and the villages and as you know there was real chaos in Jamaica and actually a state of emergency was declared in Suriname. Our people linked with the community actions of members of the community throughout the country and were able to limit the amount of chick v cases to less than ten for last year. They were also able to limit the number of Malaria cases to less than 20 but where we of course have to be careful is with Dengue as well and last year we had over six hundred cases of Dengue reported so as you know the Dengue virus and the Chickungunya virus are carried by the same mosquito; the AedesEgypti mosquito so while we have done very well in terms of controlling the disease, really the work never stops. Our own vector control department but all of us need to keep our yards clean to avoid being bitten, use screens, long sleeves at biting times and to do everything we can. Health really is everybody’s business.”

PlusTV

CWU attacks Social Security for disingenuity over workers’ pay
Payday for workers of the Social Security Board (SSB) is this coming Friday, January 30, but by the standards of the institution that is four days late. Only a handful of the 300 employees have been paid – those attached to CIBC First Caribbean Bank. The issue is the SSB’s plan to implement a transitional increment en route to a full increment system, to replace the bonus system employed by the organization. The Christian Workers’ Union (CWU), which represents non-management employees of the SSB, has complained that it and its workers have not been fully consulted and the SSB’s move is unilateral. At a press briefing today, CWU President Audrey Matura-Shepherd, explained how the delay and the employers’ decision hurt workers’ expectations. Audrey Matura-Shepherd – President, Christian Workers’ Union “How are the staff members now being affected? Unfortunately, because the management went ahead and prematurely pay out this transitional increment, and they now realize that they have erred, instead of making the salaries of everyone just go through, and the following pay period deduct it. What they did, there were some salaries that have already been posted, those through First Caribbean Bank, that they could not withdraw. So they told those employees that next period they would withdraw it, but then they went ahead and those who had not been fully posted, they withdrew and withheld their salaries for $62 or $98, they withheld people salary, and said to them, ‘We have to [take] it back because of your union.’

Sugar cane season opens
The sugar mill at Tower Hill in Orange Walk began to grind after a long impasse that almost saw the collapse of the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association which set in motion a series of events that lead to the amendment of the Sugar Act in Conformity with an order of consent issued in 2010...

Wilfredo Magaña claims Government owes him compensation
Earlier in our news cast we told you about the start of the sugar cane harvest 2015, which according to BSI authorities started 42 days late, only 2 days later than last yearâ€™s harvest which was also delayed. However, while the Government pats themselves on the back for saving the sugar industry ag...

Ammunition stolen from BDF military compound
Ammunition for dangerous weapons such as m-4 and m-16 rifles are in the hands of criminals, after 2,680 rounds were stolen from the Belize Defence Force military compound in Lordâ€™s Bank. The discovery was made early Friday morning, according to Chief of Staff Lt. Col. Raymond Shepherd...

Dangriga Puma gas station robbed again
The Puma gas station in Dangriga Town was once again the target of robbers on Friday night. Dangriga Correspondent Harry Arzu has the story. “At about 8:17 last night, Puma gas Station located on Havana Street, near the Drums of our Fathers Monument Park here in ...

Man assaulted by special constable seeking justice outside the courts
The community of Santa Cruz, Red Bank and Independence village in the South have began a petition drive to have a special constable removed from his duties...

Masculinity legislation and women in politics
The woes of Belizean women in politics are well-documented, but there was a new tack in the ongoing discussion in the form of a conference held in Belize City on Monday, concerning what organizer for the Gender and Justice Foundation of Costa Rica calls the sharing of power between men and women.

COLA holds Annual General Meeting
Citizens Organized for Liberty through Action (COLA) hosted its annual general meeting in Belize City on Saturday...

Candle light vigil for Emerson Daly
There was a candlelight vigil and march on Saturday January 24 for the late Emerson Daly. 24 year old Daly was shot to the head and dumped in the river near Banana Bank. The young Roaring Creek man was last seen last Sunday in a vehicle with an unidentified man. When he did not return home by the ...

Amandala

Girl, 15, has left home and refuses to return
Maud Villanueva, 54, of 4th Street, Corozal Town, is very worried after her daughter, Ana Villanueva, a 15-year-old student of 4th Street, North Corozal Town, who lives with her and who left their home in November last year, 2014, and has refused to return. According to Villanueva, her daughter had communicated with her by phone, but had refused to tell her with whom she had been living and where. The only thing her daughter had told her is that she was living with “good people.” Villanueva said that on Wednesday, however, her daughter sent her a message that she needed help and that she was in trouble, but since the call, her daughter has stopped answering her phone, and has not returned her calls.

2,680 bullets stolen from BDF compound!
Two thousand six hundred and eighty (2,680) live rounds of ammunition, used for M16 and M4 assault rifles, have gone missing from a holding bay at the Belize Defense Force (BDF)’s Lord’s Bank property in Ladyville, and are presumably now in the hands of those within the criminal underworld, an army official said today. The ammunition – which is the property of members of the US Army who are on training in Belize, and which reportedly has a street value of US$10,000 – was stolen, allegedly by insiders, during the last three weeks, sometime between December 7, 2014, and 1:30 a.m. yesterday when a routine security check found that there had been a breach at one of the holding bays which is used to store ammunition and explosives on the compound.

Nuri Muhammad booted from LOVE FM!
Veteran LOVE FM talk show host Nuri Muhammad, who was recently at the center of a controversy stemming from an incident in which he was seen as having been politically biased while on that station’s morning talk show, has been terminated following a meeting of the management of RSV Ltd., the parent company of LOVE FM. The announcement was aired today on LOVE TV via a televised statement made by RSV Chief Executive Officer, Rene Villanueva, Sr., who had been out of the country at the time that the incident occurred two weeks ago, sometime before Wednesday, January 14. On that day, two high-ranking Cabinet Ministers – Labour Minister and Leader of Government Business in the Senate, Hon. Senator Godwin Hulse, and Attorney General and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Wilfred Elrington – were scheduled to appear on LOVE FM’s morning talk show to defend the position of the Government, which had taken flak after individuals within the sugar industry and members of the public pointed fingers at the Barrow administration, alleging collusion with multinational foreign investors from American Sugar Refineries (ASR) to undermine the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association (BSCFA), some of whose members were clamoring against what they categorized as a “one-sided” proposed commercial purchasing agreement that was lately signed between the factory owners and the cane growers.

YaYa’s solitary protest of “piss house” continues
Community activist YaYa Marin Coleman’s message today, as she continued her solitary protest, was a question, handwritten on an off-pink Bristol board, “What is your Piss House story?” She took up her solitary position on Queen Street, just across from the Queen Street Police Station, which houses the most unsanitary holding cell in the country – which has been dubbed “Piss House” (a title it got even before Belize got its independence in 1981) for good reason. People are locked in there for days at a time, and there are no toilet facilities, nor anywhere to sleep other than the floor, yes, the sometimes very cold floor. One wonders why there has to be a protest, anyhow; can’t the politicians and the senior officers smell what is before their very noses? Ya Ya has been protesting the conditions at the Queen Street Police Station holding cell since the first week of November 2014.

Belize may be nearing “ganga” law amendments
Two and a half years ago, our newspaper reported that the Government had established a multi-sectoral committee tasked with reviewing proposals for the decriminalization of small quantities of marijuana, also known as “ganga” or “weed,” with a view of introducing alternative penalties which would mean that casual users do not end up having a criminal record and do not have to spend time behind bars. On Friday, January 23, a bill was tabled in the Senate in our sister Caribbean nation, Jamaica, proposing the decriminalization of up to 2 ounces of marijuana (just under 60 grams). The 2015 amendment to Jamaica’s Dangerous Drugs Act also proposes the decriminalization of the cultivation of up to 5 ganga trees. Cannabis possession and use, including the possession of commercial hemp, is prohibited under the laws of Belize. Although we have seen recent cases whereby persons have gotten into big legal trouble in Belize for a single ganga tree, which can be deemed cultivation under our laws and which could attract a stiff fine of $10,000 plus three years behind bars, the Belize proposals do not consider any softening of the laws where ganga cultivation is concerned.

Court concludes hearing evidence in Prof. Bain case
Two and a half years ago, our newspaper reported that the Government had established a multi-sectoral committee tasked with reviewing proposals for the decriminalization of small quantities of marijuana, also known as “ganga” or “weed,” with a view of introducing alternative penalties which would mean that casual users do not end up having a criminal record and do not have to spend time behind bars. On Friday, January 23, a bill was tabled in the Senate in our sister Caribbean nation, Jamaica, proposing the decriminalization of up to 2 ounces of marijuana (just under 60 grams). The 2015 amendment to Jamaica’s Dangerous Drugs Act also proposes the decriminalization of the cultivation of up to 5 ganga trees. Cannabis possession and use, including the possession of commercial hemp, is prohibited under the laws of Belize. Although we have seen recent cases whereby persons have gotten into big legal trouble in Belize for a single ganga tree, which can be deemed cultivation under our laws and which could attract a stiff fine of $10,000 plus three years behind bars, the Belize proposals do not consider any softening of the laws where ganga cultivation is concerned.

Wanted man captured in Corozal
Magdaleonie Tzul, 28, of Corozal Town, a fugitive who had been on the run from police since July 2014, has been captured. Tzul was arrested at about 9:30 Friday night by a newly formed unit, called the Corozal Police Quick Response Team, led by Corporal Marvin Salam. Tzul is presently detained at the Corozal Police Station pending arraignment in the Corozal Magistrate’s Court on multiple charges of burglary and theft. Police say that among the many crimes committed by Tzul, for which he was wanted, was an act of theft that involved the siphoning of gasoline from a vehicle owned by Can Jin Chen, 30, a Chinese businessman of 5th Avenue, Corozal Town. The offense was captured on security cameras.

Tattoo artist remanded to prison for unlawful sex with minor, 15
Belize City police, after investigating a report made by a 15-year-old minor, have arrested and charged tattoo artist Esteban “Steve” Mossiah with two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse. The forty-five-year-old Mossiah appeared unrepresented before Magistrate Hettie Mae Stewart this morning and was arraigned on the charges. No plea was taken from him, because the charges are indictable and will be heard in the Supreme Court. Due to the nature of the offences, Mossiah was remanded to the Belize Central Prison until his next court date on February 24, 2015.

Miracle in Ghost Town
The survival of Rafael Cruz, 28, of Mayflower Street, in the area called Bailar, or Ghost Town – who was shot five times while walking on Vernon Street, just a short distance from his house in June of 2014 – is considered a miracle. One of two gunmen stood over him and shot him in the head, neck, mouth, leg and back while he was on the ground. Cruz was rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH), where he was connected to a life support unit, and doctors had given him a slim chance of surviving the vicious attack on his life. Five months after the brutal gun attack, however, Cruz was discharged from the KHMH and is back home with his family. He is now undergoing therapy, three times per week, to rehabilitate his muscles.

Results of basketball and football games in Orange Walk
The Caribbean Rum Female Football Marathon was held at Orange Walk Technical Football Field yesterday, Sunday, January 25. First place went to Caribbean Rum Road Runners, and second was San Antonio. The Marathon featured players such as Karen Garcia, Vanessa Mai, Sherrian Tracy, Kara Kasling among others. The tournament starts next two weeks. Contact Ladrick “Mad Bull” Sheppard at 671-8902 or Alex Palacio at 667-0331. “Boxie” Perrera Basketball Memorial The third annual Rodolfo “Boxie” Perrera Basketball Memorial Marathon took place yesterday, Sunday, January 25, at the Multipurpose Complex. First place was taken by Tuff Enough – San Pedro; second was UB Team; and third was Caye Caulker.

“Lily White” 4-a-side football games for kids at Holy Redeemer
BELIZE CITY, Mon. Jan. 26, 2015–Sports/youth activist and promoter Lily White (Edward Charles Rubio) says he is planning a 4-A-Side Small Goal Football Marathon for kids 15 years and under at the Holy Redeemer Playground, corner North Front Street and Hyde’s Lane, on Saturday, February 14. “Bring your 4-man team, and du yo ting,” said Lily White. All neighborhoods are invited to bring out their kids for some football fun. There will be prizes and food and drinks. The games will start at 10:00 a.m. and it is one-game knockout; as you lose you are out. Lily White can be contacted at his new phone number 667-9672.

C-Ray Saturday Race #3 results
The C-Ray Cycling Club continued its C-Ray Saturday Race series today with #3 in the Saturday Race Series. The race started (and finished) at Leslie’s Imports, went up the George Price (Western) Highway, into the Boom Road, turned at the Boom Bridge, and return to the Leslie’s Imports, for a distance of 45 miles. 47 participants took part in the race – 2 Females, 12Juniors, 6 Cat 4/5, and 27 Elite. Below are the results: FEMALE – 1st Alicia Thompson; 2 nd Kaya Cattouse.

Editorial: New PUP storm clouds
News began circulating a few days ago in the higher echelons of Belize’s political world that the Orange Walk East area representative, Dr. Marcotulio Mendez, who announced a few months ago that he would not be seeking re-election because of medical problems, has more serious problems of a personal nature which may force him to give up his seat. Dr. Mendez was elected to the House of Representatives as a candidate for the People’s United Party (PUP) in the March 2012 general election. In that 2012 general election, the PUP won 14 seats and came within fewer than 75 votes of winning a majority 16 seats (of the 31 overall). Their Cayo North area representative, Joseph Mahmoud, however, after first announcing that he would not seek re-election, suddenly gave up his seat late last year. Mahmoud’s resignation resulted in a by-election on January 5 this year which saw the ruling United Democratic Party (UDP) win the seat when their Dr. Omar Figueroa defeated the PUP’s Richard Harrison. So the UDP now control 18 seats in the House, and the PUP 13.

From the Publisher
There is this massive contradiction in socio-politics on Southside Belize City. The strongest and bravest of our youth have been dying in the streets at rates which, the social scientists say, constitute a civil war. Yes, beloved, a civil war. In other words, we have been experiencing a human disaster here. We have been living this disaster for more than a quarter of a century. At the exact same time that this is happening, we can see all this political power representing the said Southside. The faces of the powerhouses of the ruling party look like the faces of the victims in the streets, only older. What’s going on? The same people who are losing, are the same people who are winning. How can this be? It gets worse. The MCC Grounds, our football shrine for the last half century and more, has been closed for almost a year now, and the Civic, our basketball altar for more than three decades, has been dismantled. At night, the Southside is like a town of ghosts. Those who can, have moved out. The prison is overcrowded with our black youth. The police understand clearly who are their targets. If you are a black youth and want to survive, the survival road is the road of the carnival queen.

Will the Belize Barrier Reef be removed from UNESCO’s danger list?
The debate over offshore drilling in Belize has resurfaced, and the Ministry of Energy, Science and Technology and Public Utilities (MESTPU) issued a statement on Friday asserting that “none of [the] World Heritage Site properties [in Belize] are currently under any oil concession.” It added that the Government of Belize will maintain the moratorium on the issuance of new offshore petroleum concessions until a comprehensive offshore petroleum policy is developed and accepted by the Government of Belize. Meanwhile, Dr. Fanny Douvere, who heads the UNESCO World Heritage Center’s marine program, told journalists Friday that UNESCO has a number of critical concerns – among them are the sale and the leasing of lands within the property and especially the cutting of the mangroves.

Barrow tells UNESCO: no oil drilling in/near offshore reef protected areas
An official press release issued by the Government late this evening stated that, following his meeting with representatives of the UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre, Prime Minister Dean Barrow has “expressed his willingness to chart a course forward on key management requirements for a sustainable future for the reef.” The release said, “Prime Minister Barrow confirmed the Government’s policy position to prohibit oil exploitation within and adjacent to the protected areas in the Belize Barrier Reef System.” The declaration by the Barrow administration comes after the January 19-23, 2015, mission by UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre to Belize, in cooperation with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Let the sugar season begin
After a long-drawn-out impasse that almost dealt a devastating blow to the local sugar industry recently, the quiescent mills at the Tower Hill sugar factory finally kicked into action shortly before midday today, signaling the long-awaited start of the 2014/2015 sugar cane harvest season, known to the caneros as “La Zafra”. The starting date for the delayed season was finalized last Thursday, January 22, in Orange Walk Town during a consultation session with government affiliates and the principals of the three cane farmers associations – two of which are new: the Corozal Sugar Cane Producers Association (CSPA) and the Progressive Sugar Cane Producers Association (PSPA), both of which emerged during the recent splintering of the 55-year old Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association (BSCFA), which still represents the majority of the cane farmers who do business with factory owners, Belize Sugar Industries (BSI), and its transnational parent company, American Sugar Refineries (ASR).

Court concludes hearing evidence in Prof. Bain case
The Supreme Court hearing into the constitutional claim filed by Jamaican professor, Brendan Bain, 67—the man who had filed suit against the University of the West Indies after the institution fired him last May, claiming (1) breach of contract, (2) breach of constitutional rights, and (3) defamation—continues into its third week with the Attorney General of Jamaica now making its case before the court as an interested party. During the first week of the hearing, the court heard Bain’s side of the story, and last week, it had a chance to hear UWI’s side of the story. The main witness to appear for UWI was Professor E. Nigel Harris, UWI’s vice-chancellor, who executed Bain’s termination.

Patrick Jones

Concerns raised over alleged abduction attempt in the north
Police in Corozal are following up on reports of what has been reported locally as an attempted abduction of an underage girl. The incident is reported to have happened last Wednesday night when, according to reports we have received, a man in a white vehicle tried to lure the girl […]

PUP leader addresses allegations against Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez
In November, Orange Walk East area representative for the People’s United Party (PUP), Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez, indicated that he would not run for a second term due to health reasons. But persistent reports indicate that he may be forced to leave sooner than that because of alleged […]

CWU accuses Social Security of disingenuity over workers’ pay
Payday for workers of the Social Security Board (SSB) is this coming Friday, January 30, but by the standards of the institution that is four days late. Only a handful of the 300 employees have been paid – those attached to CIBC First Caribbean Bank. The issue is […]

Man gets jail sentence for cashing stolen cheques
In the courtroom of Justice Adolph Lucas, 25 year old Kenroy Young, who pleaded guilty last week to five counts of uttering on a false document was sentenced to 4 years in jail for each count. The new sentences will run concurrently to each other and consecutively to […]

Jury acquits man of arson charge
Ryon King, a resident of Mahogany Heights, Belize District, was acquitted of a charge of arson. A jury of his peers,comprising six men and three women, returned the unanimous decision today in the courtroom of Justice Adolph Lucas. The jury voted to acquit after three hours and 30 minutes […]

Private Denver Villafranco given military funeral
Family members and friends and co-workers of the late Belize Defence Force (BDF) Volunteer Battalion Private Denver Villafranco, 23, gathered on Sunday afternoon in Belize City at the Ephesus Seventh-Day Adventist Church on Wilson Street. Force Commander Brigadier General David Jones led those who paid last respects to […]

Oceana-Belize says continue discussion on offshore oil exploration
Last week Oceana-Belize and other NGO’s in the conservation field raised some serious concerns about the draft zoning policy circulated by the Geology and Petroleum Department. Oceana-Belize cried foul when it was left off of a list of organizations that had received the draft policy as part of a government […]

Blogs

A Walk on North Ambergris Caye During a Cold Front
While the Northeast US and Canada are getting a doozy of a blizzard, the weather here is just gorgeous. The cold front swept over Belize as well…but brought cool (70s) and dry weather that has just been perfect. I took a walk “up north” and though I would have called this area “around 5 miles north”…I walked by a marker that said 3.5. Very confusing. Please feel free to leave a comment to let me know exactly where I was. Thank you. Here are my pictures.

Belize Holiday Calendar of Festivals and Events 2015
Get up close and personal with the rich and diverse culture of Belize by visiting one or more of these annual events:

Where Foodies Should Go in Belize
Belize is an intriguing new culinary destination. Chefs use fresh seafood from the Caribbean, herbs and vegetables from organic gardens and tropical fruits from local markets to create culture-blending dishes. Here are 10 top spots all over the country where you’ll enjoy the best of contemporary Belizean food and drink. 1. Bistro at Maya Beach Hotel 2. Chef Rob's Gourmet Café 3. Tutti Frutti 4. Fuego Bar & Grill 5. Rojo Beach Bar 6. Montagna Ristorante 7. Rain Restaurant & Rooftop Terrace 8. Riverside Tavern 9. Guava Limb Café 10. Nahil Mayab

Trails And Tracks
What a beautiful world we live in! Some of us are on pathways in life that are quite hectic and time consuming and we understand – a dream is a dream and we must what we must do to make it real. We absolutely understand this at www.ninebelize.com. We understand the discipline and the importance time activated responsibilities that are necessary for your business to grow; for assignments to be handed in; for research to be tested; and to get from point A to point B for all the meetings. We definitely know. So, because we low this we want to share that one massive type of therapy is walking. Walk early. Walk purposefully. Walk with a spring in your step and joy in your soul. We want to suggest you do so in Belize. One of the places we go to replenish and to nourish our souls is in the Mountain Pine Ridge. We go early. We take our binoculars, our fruit snacks, our hiking shoes, our books on birds, our water and our passion for nature.

The January 25, 2015 issue of The STAR (Cayo) is online HERE

This Week's Stories:

Mystery Surrounds Death of Emerson Daly:
Today is a tragic day for the family and friends of Emerson Daly, as all hopes for his safe return came crashing to an end when they found his body. On Tuesday, January 20, 2015, a report was made by the family of Emerson Daly, 24 year old Roaring Creek Resident, who was missing since the evening of Sunday, January 18, 2015. The young entrepreneur, according to family members, left home around 8 pm on Sunday in his vehicle belonging to his uncle and was reportedly heading to Belmopan. Emerson didn’t return that night. Belmopan police received a major lead when the vehicle, he was last seen driving, was found abandoned on Mount Pleasant Road located between miles 46 and 47 on the George Price Highway. Police recovered the car, but there was no sign of Daly, only what appears to be blood stains inside and a pair of slippers. Immediately thereafter, a search team was organized to scour the area in Mount Pleasant area.
Wanted - Emmanuel Willoughby:
Be on the look out for this man. He is Armed and Dangerous. He has been seen around the Santiago Jaun layout area. A twenty-five year old inmate, Emmanuel Willoughby, escaped from the Central Prison . Willoughby ingeniously cut a hole on his cell door which facilitated his break from the prison at around three o’clock on Saturday morning. He was incarcerated for the Possession of Unlicensed Firearm and was serving a five-year sentence which he would have completed on December eleventh, 2017. According to a release from the Kolbe Foundation, Willoughby is affiliated to the Jerusalem Gang. Kolbe also notes that his sibling, Julian Willoughby, was killed in March of this year.
Alleged Rapist Missing:
Wednesday, January 14, 2015. Police today, Wednesday, January 14, 2015, issued a missing person’s report for a man from San Ignacio town. According to police the wife of 35 year old Anibal Diaz went to the police station to report that he left his home in the Santiago Juan area of San Ignacio around 7 pm on Monday, January 12, 2015, to go fishing in the Macal River. That was the last time she saw him. Anibal Diaz is described as being of slim build, has low, straight black hair and has a tatoo of a dragon on the right upper arm. He was last seen wearing a blue short pants and an off-white shirt and blue slippers. Police are looking into the missing person’s report.
NEBL Season Will Open With Last Year’s Finals Rematch:
The National Elite Basketball League (NEBL) Season will tip off on Friday, February 6, 2015. There will be eight teams participating in this year’s tournament, which are Orange Walk Running Rebels, Belize City No Limit Soldiers, new comers Belize Hurricanes, defending champs San Pedro Tiger Sharks, Belmopan Red Taigaz, defending sub champs Cayo Western Ballaz, Dangriga Warriors and Toledo Diplomats. The tournament will employ a home and away format, with each team playing a total of 14 regular season games. The top four teams will advance to the playoffs in a best-ofthree series to decide who will reach the finals, which will be a best-of-five series. The playoffs are scheduled to commence on May 22, 2015.
ELECTIONS AND BOUNDARIES DEPARTMENT NOTICES:
IT IS NOTIFIED for general information that the Elections and Boundaries Commission, pursuant to Section 18 (1) of the Belize City Council Act, Chapter 85 of the Laws of Belize, has appointed the RETURNING OFFICER named below for the Belize City Council Election to be held on Wednesday, the 4th day of March 2015, and the Chief Elections Officer, acting pursuant to Section 18(2) of the said Act, has appointed, with the approval of the Elections and Boundaries Commission, the ELECTION CLERKS named below for the said Belize City Council Election:-
Varicose Veins:
Varicose veins are veins that have become enlarged and twisted. The term commonly refers to the veins on the leg, although varicose veins can occur elsewhere. Veins have pairs of leaflet valves to prevent blood from flowing backwards (retrograde flow or venous reflux). Leg muscles pump the veins to return blood to the heart (the skeletal-muscle pump), against the effects of gravity. When veins become varicose, the leaflets of the valves no longer meet properly, and the valves do not work (valvular incompetence). This allows blood to flow backwards and they enlarge even more. Varicose veins are most common in the superficial veins of the legs, which are subject to high pressure when standing. Besides being a cosmetic problem, varicose veins can be painful, especially when standing.
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International Sources

At Newly Discovered Water Temple, Maya Offered Sacrifices to End Drought
Nestled in a quiet forest in Belize, a deep aquamarine pool holds ruins from a time when the ancient Maya turned to a "drought cult," archaeologists suggest, and hurried sacrifices to a water god to try to stave off the fall of their civilization. At the Cara Blanca site in Belize, archaeologists report the discovery of a water temple complex: a small plaza holding the collapsed remnants of a lodge and two smaller structures. The main structure rests beside a deep pool where pilgrims offered sacrifices to the Maya water god, and perhaps also to the demons of the underworld. The find paints a picture of drought-stricken devotion during the collapse of the Maya. The pyramid-building civilization thrived across Central America for centuries, only to see most of its cities collapse after A.D. 800.

Maya Water Temple Complex discovered where ritual offerings were made to placate the Rain God
Archaeologists have discovered that the Maya made offerings to Chaak, the rain god, at a newly discovered water temple complex alongside the sacred pools of Cara Blanca in Belize. The sacrifices appear to have been made to appeal for an end to the drought, as ritual activity increased around the time that lack of rainfall began unravelling the once great and powerful Maya civilization. At the Cara Blanca site in Belize, openings in the earth, such as caves and pools, were considered to be portals to the underworld or Xibalba. The Maya left countless offerings around the 25 pools of Cara Blanca, to petition gods and ancestors to bring forth rain and bountiful crops. According to National Geographic, the water temple complex consists of a small plaza with the collapsed remnants of a lodge and two smaller structures. The floors of the shrine were covered with potsherds and fossil teeth or claws. Small water jars, some decorated with water motifs of wavy lines and spirals, were also found.

10 Surprisingly Affordable Retirement Hotspots
The U.S. dollar is surging against the euro and other currencies, making this a great time to be thinking about reinventing your retirement in some of the world’s most appealing spots. 4. Northern Belize. Northern Belize is a remote region of tropical rivers, hardwood forests, traditional farms, sleepy rural villages and breezy Caribbean seashores. This is a refreshingly off-the-radar place where residents embrace a simple, friendly, by-the-sea lifestyle. It is also the best value destination in Belize and one of the most affordable options for retirement in the Caribbean. Northern Belize is an area of about 2,500 square miles and the point where the Caribbean and Central America meet. As that geographic juxtaposition suggests, the population is diverse, and it is becoming more so as North American retirees are beginning to recognize what this overlooked part of Belize has to offer and settling here in growing numbers. Northern Belize's remoteness is part of its appeal, but remote living has its disadvantages, especially in retirement. This is why the proximity of this part of Belize to Chetumal, Mexico, just across the border, is so important. The town of Corozal in Northern Belize is a gateway town to Chetumal and from there to Merida and Cancun beyond. In Northern Belize, you could enjoy a bargain Caribbean lifestyle with easy access to shopping, city distractions and medical care in Chetumal.

Videos

Mayan Cave Tubing & Zip Line in Belize City Belize - Paul Glasspoole & Kari Guthrie, 8min. Paul Glasspoole & Kari Guthrie Mayan Cave Tour on tubes in Belize City, Belize. It was "un-Belize-able!"

Zip-lining in Belize, 3min. Paige and Mommy Zip-Lining in Belize

Coco Beach Resort, San Pedro, Belize, 5min.

Hidden Treasures of Belize, Cayo, 4min.

Two Eagle Rays Belize, 1min. Snorkeling off a small island outside Belize encountered two spotted eagle rays.

Belize Backyard, 6min. Just a "snapshot" of my parents back yard and the road into it.

Portofino Beach Resort, San Pedro, Belize, 4.5min.

Super Palm Resort, Belmopan, Belize, 3min.

Belize Electronic Weekend / Sisimito Records January 30 february 1 2015, 1min.

Moto Adventure Hopkins Belize, 3.5min. Sunday ride out down to Hopkins Village in beautiful Belize.

January 27, 2015