October 9, 2015

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Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5, LOVETV, PGTV, West Vision (Cayo) and CTV 3
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, Rise and Shine Morning Show, and the Dickie Bradley Specials

The San Pedro Sun

Editorial: Color versus Conscience
Editorial-ImageNow that the election season is upon us we should all take the time to consider our choices. What about trying something different? Instead of voting for a party because your family has bled that color for generations, why not do a little soul searching and weigh what is important to you in a candidate. No one needs to know that you voted your conscience (not your color) on Election Day! Regardless of the party – and none are above questionable actions – does this candidate have your best interests at heart and can you trust him to make the right decisions? Will he keep his promises? Often the success of a candidate, especially an incumbent, is based on their accomplishments. What we sometimes forget to do is separate what is a good job and what goes beyond that. There are responsibilities that politicians are tasked with, and it should be expected that they fulfil those responsibilities, instead of just being happy that they actually did something. It’s like when an employee does what they are paid to do, that is expected; but it is when they go above and beyond the call of duty that they deserve the raise, or the vote of confidence. When comparing candidates, ask yourself, who is working harder? Who is keeping his promises? Is he listening to the people? Is he doing a GOOD job? Often we are just apathetically happy when an official does anything…and sometimes we give them more credit than they deserve when in reality they are just doing their job.

Hol Chan Marine Reserve host Responsible Tour Guide Seminars
San Pedro’s various tour guide establishments are benefiting from Hol Chan Marine Reserve’s Annual Responsible Tour Guide Seminars. This year, the training sessions stated from mid-September and will run through October with the aim of refreshing tour operators on the rules and regulations of Hol Chan. Among the important issues discussed in the seminars is the expansion of the marine reserve, including the new management of Mexico Rocks which now under protected status. Up to date, ten tour agencies have taken part in the seminar which is being led by Hol Chan’s Environmental Educator, Mariela Archer. “The Hol Chan Marine Reserve invites all dive shops and free-lance tour guides from San Pedro and Caye Caulker to participate in our 2015 Responsible Tour Guiding Seminars. Important for this year will be the recently amended Hol Chan Legislation (Statutory Instrument No. 17 of 2015) that includes the expansion of the protected area. It is important that each tour guide using the Marine Reserve attends these sessions, since we will be presenting the new boundaries of the recent expansion to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve,” said Archer.

San Pedro Red Cross hosts most successful Blood Drive of the Year
Monetary donations collected on the street side amounted to just over $300. These funds will benefit both BRCSP to further their outreach community programs as well as the San Pedro Cancer Society. As part of the event, BRCSP also hosted a raffle among the donors. Moncho Acosta won the opportunity to participate in a first aid training while Sandy Point Resorts won an industry first aid kit. BRCSP sends heartfelt thanks to all donors for making this blood drive so successful. A big thank you goes out to those businesses that encouraged their employees to come out and donate, and major thanks goes out to all sponsors: The Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II, Tropic Air, Ramon’s Village Resort, El Fogon, Marbucks, SP Hardware, Caye Coffee and Coco Loco’s. The next blood drive will be held in January 2016. Everyone is encouraged to donate, because “It’s in you to give!”

TEDx Belmopan: Changing the Conversation
Technology, Entertainment and Design – TED – began in 1984 as a conference where those three ideas merged into powerful conversation. Over the years since, the topics have become varied, and TED Talks are held in more than 100 languages. Belize held its very first TED Talk on October 1st via TEDx Belmopan, an independently run event that helps to bring the conversation to communities worldwide. Hosted under the theme ‘Changing the Conversation’, TEDx Belmopan’s main goal was to prompt discussions on Belize issues, and also the world. A powerful panel of speakers certainly inspired attendees to keep the conversation going long after the final words were shared on stage. Yasser Musa, Janelle Chanona, Tony Rath, Lisa Shoman and Khalila Enriquez sparked ideas and spoke on subjects ranging from art to journalism, feminism and photography.

Ambergris Today

Yakarelis Hernandez to Represent Belize at Miss & Mister Centroamerica Pageant
Yakarelis Hernandez, Miss San Pedro 2011, will be traveling to Leon, Nicaragua in November to represent Belize in the Miss & Mister Centroamerica Pageant 2015. The pageant brings both female and male representatives from around the Central American region and is held with the aim of promoting tourism in all participating countries, the beauty and talent of men and women of Central America. Already a beauty queen for San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Yakarelis tell Ambergris Today that she was introduced to the pageant organizer, Saul Benitez, through a mutual friend who informed her that the organizers were looking for a representative from Belize. After giving it some thought, she decided to take the opportunity. Yakarelis is scheduled to depart for Nicaragua on November 20 to partake in the preliminary events leading up to pageant night on November 28. Ambergris Today and the Belize community wishes her all the best.

Misc Belizean Sources

Belize Progressive Party MEDIA INVITE
The Belize Progressive Party (BPP), cordially invites all media houses to the launching of the second cohort of Belizeans who have offered themselves to be candidates for our party. Date: 8th October 2015 Location: Belize Institute of Management (BIM) - Belize City Time: 10:00 AM END “8867 Today. 8867 Tomorrow. 8867 Forever” Belize Progressive Party Charles Leslie Jr. | Public Relations O: 822-2885 |C: 610-1733

San Pedro closings for Pan American Day
The San Pedro Town Council hereby informs the general public that its offices will be closing on Monday, October 12, 2015 in commemoration of Pan American Day. The San Pedro Town Council offices will also be closing on Friday, October 16, 2015, for nomination day for the upcoming elections. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience that this may cause.

Production Management - Analyzing Production Layout
Workshop Date: October 15th, 2015 9am to 12pm. Is to determine the location of each of the equipment required for production process. Determining the area needed for each activity and ensuring an efficient flow of materials. Including all services, materials, equipment handling and staffing required. Topics that will be covered: Definition Importance of plant layout Objectives Different methods to plan a production layout Elements that inter

International experts head to Belize for regional tech conference
A full line-up of international tech experts will gather in Belize from November 2 to 6, when Belize City plays host to a historic regional ICT development conference. Among the expert facilitators is Bevil Wooding, a founder and a director of the Caribbean Network Operators Group (CaribNOG); Guillermo Cicileo, the security, stability and resiliency coordinator at the Latin American and Caribbean Internet Addresses Registry (LACNIC); and Shernon Osepa, the manager of regional affairs for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Internet Society (ISOC). Held jointly by LACNIC and CaribNOG, the gathering will provide a space for various key actors in the Latin American and Caribbean Internet to network together and strengthen relationships. The weeklong conference will address topics ranging from cloud computing, Internet peering, IPv6, DNSSEC, RPKI, and cyber-security. "The growing importance of computer networks to Caribbean enterprise cannot be separated from the costly impact of the cyber attacks these networks constantly face. Caribbean cyber-security needs Caribbean cyber-defenders," said Wooding.

Terrible story of a robbery & animal cruelty at a children's home in Belmopan
We at the King's Children Home, is working hard to be self-sufficient to be able to grow and raise chickens and sheeps and we also have milking cows. on monday night some cow thieves came and stole our main milking cow, valued at $3,500.00 and almost kill the other one. on tuesday morning when we went to milk the cows the black and white cow was missing and the other cow was bleeding so much. the police was call and the vet to work on the other cow. our hearts are sad, and George is just crying he loves those cows so much, God words is Thou shalt not steal, but these people rob the children of their milking cow and rob from God at the same time. please pray that these people can be caught and that they can stop the stealing.

Power interruption 8:00am to 2:00pm, Saturday October 10, Belize City
Entire West Landivar, Coral Grove and Buttonwood Bay. BEL to replace utility poles carrying high voltage lines and reroute high voltage lines in Coral Grove.

Metal Haven Bash Rescheduled
The Metal Haven Bash was moved due to the election. It'll still be a great concert, and still be at Benque Rock. "Metalhaven Bash postponed to November 28th, 2015"

Channel 7

Prime Minister Barrow's Take FM Elrington's Speech
Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington - his critics - namely COLA and the PUP have been pounding him since he spoke at the United Nations last Friday. They criticized him for what he did and didn't say in his 19 minute speech to the UN. But what does his boss, the Prime Minister think? Today he had a 25 minute press briefing at the Biltmore and we asked him about it:.. Jules Vasquez "You Foreigner Minister, should he have spent more than 30 seconds speaking about the aggressive Guatemalan behavior at the Sarstoon? Well he didn't speak to it at all. But should he have spent more than 30 seconds on the subject and should he have covered that?" Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister "I was foreign minister one time and I always knew these general assembly speeches to in the main concentrate on issues having to do with the UN's global agenda. Climate change is of course extremely high on that agenda. Now you do take the opportunity to say something about your particular circumstances and it was routine and when I gave my speeches to reassert Belizean sovereignty and to reject the unfounded Guatemalan claim. But again as I recollect I did that in a sentence or two. There is not too much to say; your claim is unfounded, we absolutely reject it, we are a sovereign independent country and we remain that way. So I don't know that it was incumbent on the minister to say very much more than he did."

PM Say's Rat Debacle Will Not Affect Pablo Marin's Electability
And while he kind of laughed and shrugged that one off at the end of the press briefing, the Prime Minister wasn't joking when he said that the entire rat debacle at the Western Regional Hospital won't affect Health Minister Pablo Marin in his division of Corozal Bay:... Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister "This business of the rat, most unfortunate, but in the larger scheme of things I don't see getting the kind of play at the constituency level in Corozal Bay, that will do any harm to Pablo Marin chances. I don't."

Prime Minister's Advisors Say The Rat Was Placed In Incubator
And while he was on the subject, the Prime Minister also repeated a theory he heard on the rat. It's one that has been gaining traction in the UDP where the rat in the incubator has been labeled as some kind of plant, that someone put it in there - where it bit a newborn baby. Today the PM referred to it tongue in cheek, but gave some credence to that very bizarre theory:.. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister "I have spoken to several persons who claimed to be very knowledgeable and who say that the incubator is a sealed facility if you will, that a rat simply can't get into, except it cut it and there was no cut. So I am not going to offer you my own opinion. But I will tell you that there is legitimate respectable opinion from people that I consider of sound mind and sober judgement who say, who insist that rat was put in the incubator."

CWU And SSB Chairman's Back And Forth Over Uniforms
Today Social Security Board workers finally spoke out on the issue of their uniform allowance. As we have been reporting all week, the SSB workers want financial compensation for the 10 month uniform delay. The workers protested twice this week during their lunch break and staged a sickout yesterday afternoon at 3 to get that demand across. But in an interview on Monday, Chairman Doug Singh responded by saying that he does not agree with the workers' interpretation of the agreement on uniforms and that the management refuses to pay financial compensation. Today CWU president Audrey-Matura Shepherd and 2 SSB workers held a press conference to discuss this issue. Deputy Union Representative Ella Waight began by saying that Chairman Singh changed his interpretation on them and that they were paid compensation in the past for late uniforms under his management.

Will The Prime Minister Have To Put Out SSB Fire?
And while the timing of the escalating social security industrial action would suggest that they are trying to cash in on pre-election desperation from the ruling party - the Prime Minister today told the media he is feeling no such pressure. He says he is satisfied that there is a timeline for negotiations on the collective bargaining agreement and any agitation beyond that won't get the workers anywhere:.. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister "Walking out in protesting will in my view do nothing to accelerate that schedule to which they agreed and so while I am not surprised or even disappointed at the course of action embarked upon, it won't get them anywhere."

Prime Minister Discusses UB Salary Increase Request
And the Prime Minister had similar sentiments for the University of Belize staff who are agitating for a 14% raise. Staff at the Belize City campus reportedly left classes today to protest. But, the Prime Minister says that there is a process which must be completed before any raise can be considered: consultants have been hired and they are making a comparative analysis of salaries between the university and other similar institutions in the Caribbean - and until that is finished, jump high jump low, there won't be any raise approved:.. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister "That negotiating process again, clearly cannot be concluded before November 4th. So while as I say the efforts to force government's hand to be expected, those efforts cannot in the circumstances be successful."

That Meeting Between PM Barrow And BTL Employees
But one group of workers that the Prime Minister did meet with were BTL employees. He did so last week after the union sent out a withering press release in which they put Prime Minister Barrow on blast with a capital "B". We asked him about it today.. Jules Vasquez "Your meeting with the BTL staff. They said you were worse than Mr. Musa and that have change black dog for monkey - these very plain spoken language." Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister "I was I think exceptionally well treated at that BTL forum with the staff. We got along like a house on fire. I did make the point to them that I had been stung, that I had been cut to the quick, by what they has said. But it was clear they weren't saying it then at that meeting and I did not get a retraction or an apology, but I did not asked for one because I am saying I am happy to move on. I spoke to them about the settlement and explained and perhaps clarified some issues that they obviously were unsure of and that might have caused the resort to that sort of really intemperate language and I am sure that at the end of the day, they were very satisfied."

The 2015 Business Forum
And while he met with labour last week - today the Prime Minister met with Capital - that is, the business sector at the fourth annual Business Forum. This year the theme was "Partnership for Growth and Prosperity"- and in his remarks at the closing of the event which was held at the Biltmore - he said that the partnership has grown in a meaningful way: Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister "With respect to operational advances, there is more that could have been achieved. But we have done well just in my view, in chartering this EDC, in getting it off the ground. In giving flesh to an idea that is a wonderful one. I know that whoever is Prime Minister after November 4th will be obliged and no doubt happy to continue this EDC enterprise." In close the Prime Minister did make it clear that while his government has been prop poor - it does not mean that they are anti-rich:.. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister "We don't seek to achieve our objectives by any effort at re-distribution of wealth. There has been, must not be ever any attempt at a government engineered transfer of private resources from those better off to those well off. In other words, the goal is always to create new wealth for new players. Not to take away wealth from those that already have to give to those that don't."

BPP Announces New Candidates
And while that UDP did all it could to woo the business sector, the newly formed BPP or Belize Popular Party says they are getting good support from the productive sector. Since making a public appeal for ten thousand dollars grants last week - the party says it has raised forty four thousand dollars - and still have cheques to go and pick up. It's a quite robust uptake for a party which only had 11 candidates when it launched. Well, today the BPP presented 7 more at a press conference at the Belize Institute of Management - and here they are:... Elizabeth Dena, BPP - Freetown "Now it's time for stop playing games. I done even like hear people talking that how politics is a game, because my life is not a game. My children lives are not a game. When we want to play games, we sit down around our table and pull out some scrabble and snake and ladders. My life is not a game and the words are important. To the women out there, it's time to stop talking and quarrel, because we know that you all are full of frustration and it's time to do something about that frustration. It won't go anywhere unless you do something about it. Don't worry about what they are doing, because who is them? They still end up being you, because you are a part of them. You are not voting for us you know, you are voting for you. Because at the end of the day it's your money and not our money. I would never give my money to somebody to spend for me and when I want it they tell me I can't get it. Or they take my money and do what they want with it."

The Prime Minister's Take On the Third Party
When asked about the Third party today, Prime Minister Dean Barrow offered backhanded praise. He said it's good that they're running - but it is a long term effort to break the two party hold on mass party politics in Belize:.. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister "I welcome the participation of this third party. It's good that our democracy show that sort of development. I was happy to hear, I believe the leader say that for them it a multi-generational enterprise. I think it will be generations before they will see any success, but just the fact of their participation and their adding to the conversation and the dialogue, is something I heartily endorsed."

Can Government Help Mayan King?
And today the Prime Minister also commented on the situation at Maya King Banana Farm in south Stann Creek. As we reported, the farm owners have hit a financial brick wall: due to the drought, they don't have enough earnings to pay their farm workers; and because of former owner John Zabaneh's kingpin designation - no bank will do business with them so they can't get an overdraft facility. Today the Prime Minister said government can't help an individual farm:.. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister "Government did try to help, but no bank in Belize will deal with him. He has tried to find a way around it by having nominees to operate the company and you will know that the Social Security Board, notwithstanding whatever pitfalls might have been present, agreed to lend that company as significant amount of money to assist with fertilizer and with other things.

Corn Farmers Will Get Help From GOB
And while they can't help Maya King - the Prime Minister says government will do what it can to help farmers in the north who have been hit hard by drought. It's a joint effort between the DFC and the Ministry of Agriculture:.. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister "We will provide seeds to farmers. The DFC has agreed again to suspend interest payments and government will actually fund seeds for replanting. So that's the sort of thing that we can do, but that's industrywide and individual farmers will benefit." The Ministry of Agriculture estimates that drought losses in the agricultural sector this year exceed 30 million dollars.

Another Man Charged For Paraquat's Murder
Another Belize City resident has been charged for a violent crime in Orange Walk - but, this time, it's the murder of homeless man, Carlos "Paraquat" Griffith. On Monday September 28th Griffith was beaten up on the street. His received massive facial and head injuries and died a few days later. Now, police have charged 35 year old Lovely Lane resident Teshawn Clarke for murder. He was identified in an ID parade. Today in court he was remanded for murder and also pleaded guilty to possession of drugs he was found with at the time of his arrest…

Police Caught Kids Trying To Rob Sky Supermarket
Police have two minors detained in connection with a very bizarre attempted robbery in Ladyville this evening. At 4:00, the Rural Rapid Response team were operating near the Sky Supermarket Complex area in Ladyville when they saw two boys come off a bus and meet up with a man and another minor in a vehicle. The driver gave one of the minors a gun but the police were able to catch the kids before they committed any crime. But that's not all! - when the kids tried to run from the police, the driver of the vehicle knocked down one of the minors who were trying to escape. Sr. Supt. Edward Broaster unraveled the story for us this evening. Sr. Supt. Edward Broaster, Commander - Eastern Division Rural "No robbery was committed. At 4pm we had an active operation where we had our rural rapid response doing surveillance in the general vicinity where we had two juveniles who alighted their bus and another juvenile. The driver is unknown to us in a grey Tribute where the two juveniles that came off the bus was given a firearm to commit a robbery. However, it is apparent that they may have seen our surveillance team and they decided to run. The occupants of the car that they marred up with drove and ran over one of them and he got up and took out the firearm and pointed at the occupants of the vehicle. At this time our rural rapid response got into action and halted the crime where they froze the individual with the firearm and they captured the other juvenile that was with him as well."

On the Campaign Trail With Dr. Barnett
On Tuesday, we showed you our first campaign trail coverage, heading up to the General Elections. Tonight, we take you into Freetown, another battleground for both mass parties, where newcomer Dr. Carla Barnett is seeking to defeat the 3 time area rep, Francis Fonseca, who's also the Leader of the Opposition. By all objective indicators - she should be the underdog because her party, the UDP is looking for a third term - and generally it's very difficult to defeat opposition candidates since they aren't in power and no one can be upset with them for not delivering goods and services. And Third, he's the leader of the opposition - the man who would be Prime Minister and that alone is worth a few hundred votes. So, Carla Barnett should not be expected to win - but the UDP feels that she has a better than average chance. We went on the campaign trail to find out why:…

A Fantasy 5 Winner
He is a 76 year old Dangriga resident and tonight he is almost three hundred thousand dollars richer. Malcolm Dale is the winner of Tuesday night's Fantasy 5 jackpot. Today he travelled from Dangriga to the Fantasy 5 office in the city to claim his winning numbers and collect his cheque of two hundred and eighty six thousand dollas. He told us why he's still in shock. After taxes were deducted, Dale walked away with two hundred and forty three thousand one hundred dollars.

Mental Health Week
Dignity and respect for mental health patients: that is what health professionals are asking of the community. Today the Central Health Region organized a students' march through the streets of the city to get that message across. We spoke with one of the coordinators of the march and she told us how important it is to spread awareness of mental health in Belize. The march featuring students from Wesley and Palotti started at Cleopatra White Health Center and ended at BTL park with a Fun Day. As part of World Mental Health Day on Saturday a number of events are planned for this week including a High School Speech Competition tomorrow afternoon at SJC Gym and the Annual Fund Raising Banquet at Chateau Caribbean on Saturday.

What's This BTL Indefinite Moratorium?
Ten days ago we showed you BTL's annual general meeting. We expected it to be controversial - after all the company has to pay 98 million dollars to settle the debt for what started out as a 45 million dollar loan with the Ashcroft Alliance. Or so we thought….the chairman of the BTL board announced to shareholders that they would only be paying 48 million dollars - the rest, as they explained would be placed on an indefinite moratorium. But, what does that mean? The Prime Minister explained today:.. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister "I intend in the next administration to write off in so far as BTL is concern, the balance of those payments that we have made on their behalf in terms of the BCB loan. 19 million came from Petrocaribe, 10 million came from BTL. They up fronted that from their own resources. A small portion came from what was left over from the proceeds of the sale of shares. Remember we paid to the Ashcroft Alliance at the NERA value for as a down payment on the compensation. If the tribunal say otherwise, that is a down payment and we took that out of what we had. We sold shares after the acquisition at $5 per share. There was a balance after we took out the amount to pay down on the compensation about 4-5 million. So we use that and then the rest of it came from the dividends that we had already collected from BTL, but which has been frozen by the CCJ. With the falling away of the claim, that money was available to us. So we did not have to go borrow anything other than the 48."

PM Comments On Bar Association's Impending Application To The CCJ
And while disposing of that debt is part of the settlement with the Ashcroft Alliance - the Bar Association still wants to know what the Caribbean Court of Justice would have ruled on the legality of the eighth amendment. They will make an application to the court to request that judgement - and today the Prime Minister said he's also curious, while remaining confident:... Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister "Let's assume they were to be successful. It's not skin off my back. I for the sake of the jurisprudence would have no difficulty in getting the CCJ's views pronouncements on the 8th amendment and this whole business of basic structure doctrine and the argument of those in the bar that say that no matter if you do it properly, amending the constitution can itself be unconstitutional. I've never subscribe to it. I've never held with it and I can see that they would have an interest in some determination of the issues. So for me it's neither here nor there. But I do think as I said in terms of whatever remains of my lawyer instinct, that they will get absolutely no place."

Is Belize On The Reparations Push From CARICOM
One week ago, while visiting Jamaica, British Prime Minister David Cameron announced that the UK would be providing a package of more than 600 million US dollars in aid to the Caribbean. The money will be disbursed through the Caribbean Development Bank and Belize will get an as yet unknown portion of those funds for development programs in the areas of infrastructure, health, disaster preparedness and economic growth. But some are saying that the region should not accept aid or any form of charity from England when that country owes this region reparations for slavery. Today the Prime Minister made it clear that is a CARICOM position, but he lives in the here and now: Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister "CARICOM has a group has agree to progress the reparations issue and we are a part of CARICOM. I certainly do not take the view that while that issue is exercising and preoccupying us, that we should look in any way askance at the sort of effort that Prime Minister Cameron is now making. That can't excuse the sins of history, but you will forgive me if I am more anchored in the present and focused on what we can do to advance the development agenda, or local development agenda."

Why Is There Still No Integrity Commission
And, in one final comment from the Prime Minister - the press asked him about the integrity commission. Another term of office is finishing and he still hasn't appointed a functioning committee. Today he repeated what he's been saying: that because the members are listed as politically exposed persons - they have to list all their assets and holdings - and he can't find an accountant who's willing to do that. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister "Once we can find a chartered accountant who is prepared to served, understanding that then open him/her up to scrutiny on the part of the US and others, we will proceed." Reporter "Is it a priority for your administration?" Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister "Is what a priority?" Which one?" Reporter "The integrity commission?" Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister "Of course it is a priority."

Channel 5

PM Barrow Will Write-Off B.T.L. Debt If U.D.P. Wins
Today, members of the private and public sectors converged on the city for the Prime Minister’s business forum at the Biltmore Plaza. We’ll have a comprehensive look at that event [...]

…Says the People Should Be Happy About It
Barrow says that in the years since the nationalization, G.O.B. and the people have collected eighty million dollars in dividends, so we should all be happy to relieve B.T.L. of [...]

No P.A.C. If G.O.B. Is Not Majority, Says PM
The PM also spoke on the operation of the Public Accounts Committee…which actually isn’t operational. Months ago there was a push for the inclusion of the social partners in the [...]

Chairman Espat Says U.D.P. Is Afraid of the P.A.C.
That stance doesn’t go down well with PAC Chairman Julius Espat. He told News Five today that the reason the Public Accounts Committee doesn’t work, and hasn’t for a long [...]

Integrity Commission Not Looking Likely in the Near Future
Governments of the P.U.P. and the U.D.P. have both been accused, rightly or wrongly, of rampant corruption and unchecked abuse of public monies. For that reason, many believe that this [...]

PM Blames P.A.C. Stagnation on Opposition
We’re not sure what that means where the fate of the Integrity Commission is concerned under this administration. As to PAC, well…that’s not going to happen, a fact for which [...]

Are U.D.P. Candidates Being Fuelled By Petrocaribe?
We note that all that’s being said on all these issues is subject to a decision which will be made on November fourth. Which brings us to Petrocaribe. Will those [...]

Belize Progressive Party Introduces New Candidates
The Belize Progressive Party is inching toward forming a national slate for the general elections on November fourth. BPP last week announced its formation and named eleven candidates to contest [...]

PM Barrow Says Bar Association Will Not Succeed In Application to CCJ
The Bar Association’s request to the CCJ to make available their decisions on the nationalizations of B.E.L. and B.T.L. hasn’t thrilled the government or its attorney. And even if those [...]

Tracy Taegar-Panton on the Campaign Trail
The Albert Division for decades was dominated by Phillip Goldson, it would eventually turn blue in 1998, 2003 and 2008 and then in the last general elections in 2012, it [...]

UB Belmopan Staff Walks Out
There was another protest today on the heels of the ongoing Social Security demonstrations. The faculty and staff of the University of Belize staged a small demonstration this morning at [...]

PM Barrow Says Protesters Will be Unsuccessful
Barrow says that unrest at this time as regards industrial action and threats of the same are to be expected with the imminent approach of elections. But with that said, [...]

S.S.B. Reps Speak for the First Time
Since the beginning of the week, we’ve been reporting that S.S.B. employees who are members of the Christian Workers Union have been protesting during their lunch break at S.S.B. offices [...]

Protesters Point to the Straws That Broke the Camel’s Back
At the core of the problem is the collective bargaining agreement, which according to the CWU reps, the S.S.B. has refrained from discussing. That CBA includes salary adjustments for the [...]

CWU President Says Crisis Could Have Been Averted
According to CWU President Audrey Matura-Shepherd, this crisis could have been averted since last November, when the board was requested by the union to start negotiations on the collective bargaining [...]

A Political Career for Audrey Matura-Shepherd?
Audrey Matura-Shepherd’s name has come up as a likely candidate for electoral politics in more than one party.  Recently, in the instance of the new Belize Progressive Party which is [...]

PM Says Health Mishap Won’t Affect Minister’s Chances in Corozal Bay
The video of a rat in the incubator at the Western Regional Hospital has gone viral. But while the image is devastating, generally the rat is only one in a [...]

Is the BPP’s Candidate in Pickstock a P.U.P. Mole?
Another Minister under siege is Wilfred Sedi Elrington who has been much maligned for his handling of the ongoing territorial dispute with Guatemala. Elrington is running in Pickstock, and is [...]

Barrow Says Attack on FM Elrington Is Unwarranted
The sustained attack on Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington recently took on new life after his UN address last week. Critics say that Elrington did not devote sufficient time to the [...]

CTV3

Belize City Charged For Carlos Griffiths' Murder
Orange Walk Police are serious about curbing the crime situation in the North and tonight, there is more good news to report. This afternoon, 35 year old Teshawn Clarke, a resident of Lovely Lane in Belize City was arraigned in the Orange Walk Magistrate’s Court and charged with Murder. Authorities say he is one of two men that viciously put a beating on Carlos “Paraquat” Griffiths and left him for dead. Police say they conducted an identification parade and Clarke was positively identified as one of the persons that were assaulting Griffiths. Authorities say upon making the arrest, Clarke was found with illicit drugs in his possession and has pleaded guilty in court for that offense. It is of note that a second suspect is being sought for questioning and an appearance in an Identification Parade.

Classes Interrupted At UB, Teachers Protest for 14% Salary Increase
Today the UB faculty staged an impromptu demonstration as they call for a 14% salary increase across the board. According to reports received, today’s demonstration began with some twenty members of faculty and staff at the UB campus in Belmopan. They began a march from the Scarlet Macaw building, moved to the Jaguar Auditorium and headed to the an area in front of the library where they held a small rally. By then, the group had grown and included some students as well. Las week Thursday, UB faculty and staff at the Belmopan and Belize City campuses held a meeting where a fourteen percent salary increase was of utmost importance to those in attendance. An email was sent to the president of UB Alan Slusher who responded by saying that on Tuesday of that same week the association executive of UB met with the president of the board where they were informed that as of August first this year a five percent salary adjustment had been approved by the Board of Trustees.

Alledged Land Grab Reported In San Jose Village
There is another complaint to report tonight of Lands Department. The latest complaint was made to us today by Douglas Village resident Laurio Alamilla. Alamilla says that he was granted a parcel of land in an area immediately behind San Juan Village in Orange Walk. According to Alamilla, he had started making payments for the property but when government changed in 2008, his money was rejected by the new administrators of the Lands Department. Today, he still holds the papers to that land but the parcel itself has seemingly been set aside as a quarry. Alamilla says he has tried to address the problem even with the police but has been unable to get any assistance.

LOVE FM

An Elderly Man and Quarter Million Dollar Jackpot
The winner for Tuesday’s Fantasy Five draw today picked up his prize money. The winner is seventy six year old Malcom John Dale of Dangriga. Dale says that he sells fantasy five tickets in his shop, and when he went to check the ticket he purchased the next morning he realized that he was the […]

Audrey’s Supporters and Finances Wanted by the BPP
At today’s press conference of the Belize Progressive Party, one of its candidates, Raymond Rivers called out President of Christian Workers Union, Audrey Matura Shepherd. When the BPP was launched, some thought that Matura Shepherd would have been involved. However, she was not, even though the BPP approached her. But today, Rivers made a public […]

Was the Incubator and Rat Incident Staged?
The presence of a rat inside a baby’s incubator at the Western Regional Hospital was appalling and had garnered disgust from many corners. From the onset there were several speculations ranging from the possibility that it was a staged event with the intention of recording it and then publishing the video on the social media […]

PM Says Health Minister Will Retain Seat at Elections
The health sector has been attacked in several instances in the past weeks leading to the Opposition demanding for the removal of the Health Minister and the CEO in the Ministry of Health, Pablo Marin. One would think that such occurrences under Marin’s watch would cause him to lose ground in his Corozal Bay Division […]

Pickstock – Sure Seat for the UDP
Prime Minister Barrow even went further in expressing his confidence that despite the efforts being made by a certain coalition and the PUP to discredit Elrington in his Pickstock division, the seat will remain for the UDP. DEAN BARROW “And I see that this sustained attack against the Foreign Minister has now taken on an […]

Prime Minister Explains Elrington’s Remarks at the UN
In today’s press conference, Prime Minister Dean Barrow spoke on the address delivered by the Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington at the UN’s General Assembly last week in New York, USA. Barrow, who once served as a Foreign Minister, clarified the statement made by Elrington, saying that when going to the International Court of Justice, it […]

CBA Negotiations for SSB and UB Expected to Continue Over Coming Months
Following the Business Forum today, Prime Minister Dean Barrow made himself available to the media via a press conference in which he addressed several issues surrounding various sectors. Since the announcement of the national elections, there has been a spike in demands for increased wages and benefits. Of recent, those clamouring for it have been […]

Integrity Commission Delayed Due to PEP Issue
As it relates to the Integrity Commission, back in February 2014, the Barrow Administration had put together a commission but there were some setbacks as towo of the businessmen who were asked to sit on the commission, withdrew their names as it was later found out that they and the other commission members would be […]

Government Will Retain a Majority on Public Accounts Committee
In the 2012 General Elections, Julius Espat won for the first time, a seat in the House of Representatives for the Cayo South Division. Following that victory, Espat was selected by the People’s United Party to be the representative of the opposition, who holds the post of Chairman. But it hasn’t been a smooth ride […]

PM Barrow Welcomes BPP As A Third Party
A third party movement with the name Belize Progressive Party and its leader being Patrick Rogers was launched just a few days following the announcement of the general elections. We asked Prime Minister Barrow to weigh on the movement and how it could affect the upcoming elections. DEAN BARROW ” At its launch, the BPP […]

PlusTV

UB Staffers Rally in preparation for salary increase negotiations
Yesterday the Social Security Board Workers made our headline news when they staged a sickout because negotiations are not going as they would like. Today, it is the UB Faculty and Staff that are making our headlines. At around 10 am today, the University of Belize Faculty and Staff Association sta...

Christian Workers’ Union hits back at SSB
We have been keeping abreast of the strained relationship between the Staffers at the Social Security Board and their Board of Directors that has Christian Workers’ Union (CWU) and Social Security Board (SSB) at odds over the lengthy negotiations for the workers’ Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA...

Lionel Messi to be tried in Spain for tax evasion in Belize
Football star Lionel Messi and his father are to stand trial in Spain for tax fraud due to allegedly hiding money in Belize. Barcelona and Argentina’s star Lionel Messi and his father are facing three counts of tax fraud that could translate to prison sentences. In a court filing, Messi and h...

Placencia apartment burglarized of over $38,000.00
An apartment in Placencia was burglarized of over $38,000.00. On Tuesday the 6th of October, an American businessman of Placencia, 50-year-old Michael Gargan’s apartment was burglarized. The thieves stole one metal safe containing two Rolex wrist watches which are valued at $18,100.00 each, two Amer...

Paraquat’s Murderer Identified
Over the weekend, the case surrounding the investigation of the beat down of well known street personality in Orange Walk Town Carlos “Paraquat” Griffith was upgraded to murder when he passed away late Friday evening last week. As we told you yesterday, Grffith was beaten to a pulp somet...

Seven new BPP candidates introduced
Last week saw the launch of the Belize Progressive Party (BPP), an amalgamation of two smaller political parties and former members of a third. They introduced their first eleven candidates to contest the 2015 general elections. Today they announced the addition of seven more. They are housewife and...

CWU updates on stevedores and executive
Last Thursday CWU President Audrey Matura Shepherd and a handful of Stevedores held a brief at the CWU Office on Cemetery Road, where they provided an update on the issue of the Collective Bargaining agreement for Stevedores at the Port of Belize. At the time Matura Shepherd said that the CWU and it...

The Guardian

Ralph Fonseca back in control of the PUP
The People’s United Party and its leaders, despite both internal and external pressures have been unable to rid themselves of Ralph Fonseca. This single figure now looms large over the PUP as the de-facto campaign manager and is now the primary mover within the party to seek finances for their campaign. This week, Ralph Fonseca along with Francis Fonseca and Julius Espat were spotted all chummy in a plane to and from the south of the country. No doubt this is one of their money-hunting expeditions with the senior Fonseca fully in charge. The move by the desperate Francis to bring in Ralph in this manner with full support of the deputy, Julius Espat, tells us that the PUP will never reform. This revelation must send chills down the spines of every single Belizean, especially because we all know what the senior Fonseca is capable of. He was the architect of growth-economics that brought Belize’s economy to the brink of disaster. And while everyone in and out of the PUP are aware of this; with Dr. Francis Smith, the PUP Pickstock candidate publicly lashing out against having Ralph back in the saddle, Francis Fonseca could care less.

Hype-o-crites of the Guatemalan claim
“Not one blue mango, not one craboo, not one morass; not a blade of grass”. These words are contained in the lyrics of a song produced by the late Richard Stuart, sung by John Saldivar, and paid for by Glen Stuart. These men all belonged to the UDP and reflected what the party stood for at that time. The song was written as an innocuous response to the PUP’s handling of the Belize/Guatemala dispute. In September, 2005 the then PUP Government through their lead negotiator Assad Shoman signed on to the “framework of negotiating and confidence building measures” in which both countries agreed to resolved the dispute either by diplomatic negotiations or by taking it to the International Court of Justice. By December the first round of talks were held in San Pedro between Belize’s lead negotiator Assad Shoman and Guatemala’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Jorge Briz Abulrach. On February, 10th 2006 another meeting was held this time in Washington DC between Guatemala’s Foreign Minister Jorge Briz and Belize’s Chief negotiator Assad Shoman along with their delegations. In that meeting it was proposed by the Organization of American States that the negotiations start in earnest and the first thing they should discuss is the maritime areas and Guatemala’s access to the Caribbean Sea.

Truck driver charged for death of eleven-year-old girl
The parents of 11-year-old Tessrah Diamond Thompson received the news no parent wants to hear after they send their children to school for the day. Thompson lives in the Mahogany Heights area and attends school at St. Mathews Primary School. She was coming home after a day of learning and exited the bus in front of the entrance to mahogany Heights at around 3:20 p.m. on Monday afternoon, October 5. According to eyewitness reports, Thompson went in front of the bus to peek out so she can see if any vehicle was coming before she crossed the road. At this very same time a cargo truck blew by and the edge of the truck hit Thompson and flung her violently to the ground. The truck continued on a few hundred yards up before the driver, Jose Rodriguez, 54, naturalized Belizean from Honduras, realized that he had hit someone. By the time Rodriguez returned to render aid, several passengers from the bus were already tending to Thompson, including two nurses. She was rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial where doctors executed emergency procedures to try and save her life.

Another PUP defection
With less than a month to go before the General Elections, that will see the UNITED DEMOCRATIC PARTY with the Hon Dean Barrow as party Leader and Prime Minister voted in to serve a third consecutive term, the defections have started from the aging and dying PUP. The first to jump ship has been Jose Chacon - who ran as the PUP’s Mayoral candidate in Belmopan 7 months ago. But now, Chacon says he is through with the PUP and has resigned from the party and has thrown his support behind the UDP’s John Saldivar. For Belizean politics this is a major development that will cause the PUP to suffer a huge setback. He pointed to disillusionment with the party which he formerly embraced with such zeal: Chacon is quoted to have said ,”When I sought elected office to be the mayor of Belmopan under the PUP banner earlier this year, I sincerely thought that the PUP had changed. I have come to recognize the truth, that the PUP has not changed and that this PUP is the very same party with the very same leaders whom from 1998 to 2008, oversaw the most corrupt government in Belize’s history. But the more I saw of this PUP, the more I was exposed to its leaders, the quicker I came to realize that the PUP was only a vehicle for the enrichment and power of a few individuals. This PUP is the PUP of Fonseca and Musa. There is nothing about this PUP that reminds of what George Price was said to believe in. This PUP has not changed at all. And so I have decided to endorse and to support the Hon. John Saldivar and the UDP as they seek re-election in the upcoming general elections. I will campaign for Minister Saldivar and ask those who support me to support John in Belmopan.”

Brackett dah PUP
In April last year, the Guardian Newspaper was the first to call out Geovannie Brackett as a closet PUP loudmouth, who tries to hide behind activism as his platform to shamelessly campaign for the “#goblue”. Well, he did what everyone has expected him to do. In the next General Elections, he will try to unseat UDP Incumbent Wilfred “Sedi” Elrington from his position as Area Representative for the Pickstock division. Now, he’s not going to put his name on a ballot paper, because that would leave him exposed, and he would then be admitting what everyone already believes without actual proof. He’s going to ask the voters of Pickstock to “choose any other option except Sedi”. But, let’s look at it logically? Who has the most to gain from a political move like that? Right now, the only other candidate confirmed to be offering himself in that division is Dr. Francis Smith, a PUP. Put that together with COLA’s “Build the Base Now” campaign, which looks like a secret PUP move, and the fact that he met with Francis Smith before announcing his plan, and he only appears more like a PUP politician.

Twenty five reasons you should NOT vote for the PUP
The present area representative for Orange Walk Central has twice gone on record with two proclamations of millions and millions of dollars having been lost under the PUP Government of 1998-2008. He itemized each one of the shady deals orchestrated by his Party and gave estimates, rounded to the nearest million, on how much money was siphoned from the Government’s treasury. Let us make our own list today to see why we should not be tricked again into supporting the People’s United Party. Between 1998 and 2008, the PUP Government: 1. Sold off all our national assets like the Port, the Airport, BEL, BTL, and WASA. They actually sold BTL three times. 2. Borrowed $1.5 Billion, and have nothing to show for it (re-the Super-bond). 3. Increased taxation each year to support their excessive spending 4. Sold the Voice of America compound to a PUP representative from Toledo, who bought it with a loan from DFC (which was later written off). The same compound was later sold to a Canadian for millions 5. Lent Godfrey $45 million to build Intelco, which never did function, and he never paid back 6. Lent Godfrey $8 million for Galleria Maya, which never did open, and he never paid back

Recognizing the elderly for the International Day of Older Persons
Members of the Board of Directors at the Octavia Waight Center in San Ignacio Town, working under Help Age Belize, have been receptive to the many activities for the celebrations of Senior Citizens Week from September 26th to October 3rd. This group of volunteers from the community has also welcomed the recognition of the elderly for the International Day of Older Persons on October 1st 2015. Several schools from the Cayo area brought groceries for the elderly at the Octavia Waight Center during last week. The children of Sacred Heart College also came to perform for the seniors. These participating schools that showered the elderly from Octavia Waight with gifts included St. Barnabas, Bishop Martin, Saint Andrews, Immaculate Conception, St. Francis Xavier as well as the Sacred Heart Primary School. Senior Citizen week was opened with a church service on Sunday of last week at the Evangelical Church in San Ignacio. Then on Thursday of last week, a special dinner was held at the Octavia Waight Center which Earl Trapp Junior, Mayor of San Ignacio and Santa Elena attended.

First horses now a mule
The PUP have now taken on a Mule to run in the Derby on November, 4 , but this time they have added a cart to this Mule named Guatemala. They had to add a cart because this Mule and cart will have many drivers all at the same time. The team of drivers will include the infamous Sarstoon Jockey/ killer a.k.a. Lisa , Eamon a.k.a Junior Trombone, Godfrey a.k.a man in tights or Pink-brief and of course Francis and Said will be hitching a ride on the cart. I am sorry for that poor Mule, because it to will die under the strain of the dead weight and flogging it will be made to endure until the day of the race. What PUP wanted and Johnny is not included in this one, was for Minister Elrington to put on a PUP skirt and go to the United Nations General Assembly and throw phrase like a Water Lane Wassa. Sorry for them because that is not what real leaders do. Real leaders lead from the front and enter through the front door. Unlike those WISHY WASHY, FLIP FLOPPING Leaders over there who lead and enter from the back. And please Pinky I am not saying that to you alone. It is being said to all of you on that side who are trying to use the one thing that has galvanized this entire nation as one united people and that is the resistance to the Unfounded Guatemalan Claim.

Inconsiderate Bunch
The PUP may be the most inconsiderate group of people when it comes to their ZEAL for power and greed . It seems they will stop short of nothing and trample on anybody to obtain their objective. For the PUP it is all about them, them and them only. The PUP knows fully well that the UN General Assembly is two weeks of intense meetings and the various issues are dealt with at different but equally important forums during the same general assembly . The speech that we see on tv is not the General Assembly and the slot small countries such as Belize are given is at a time when many of the other delegations are not there but that plus all other presentations from the entire General assembly are read into the records and treated with the same importance.

John Saldivar launches campaign
With great fanfare and support, Hon. John Saldivar launched his candidacy once again for a fourth term in office. Hon. Saldivar chose the May Gordon sports complex as the venue and by 6 on Tuesday evening, thousands of Belmopan residents had gathered to partake in the event which also featured the representative's birthday, October 6. In the presence of thousands of supporters who were treated to food and drinks, representatives from across the country took to the stage to endorse and encourage Hon. Saldivar in the transformative work he has undertaken in the capital city. Among the speakers were UDP standard bearers Hon. Frank 'Papa' Mena, Hon. Patrick Faber, Hon. Hugo Pat, Tracy Panton. Also speaking at the launch was former PUP mayoral candidate for Belmopan, Jose Chacon who has severed ties with the PUP and has chosen to support the candidacy of Hon. John Saldivar and the UDP.

PUP’s desperation turns to destruction of UDP signs
The People’s United Party’s hunger for power has them now destroying UDP signs. The latest attack came on the Belize-Corozal road where the PUP in that constituency set fire to a billboard by Elodio Aragon Jr. The PUP operatives work in the cover of darkness and on Tuesday night they set fire to the banner. This latest attack comes on the heels of another where Bull Nose Vaughn was caught on Monday night tearing down UDP signs for Dr. Carla Barnett in the Freetown division. When he saw a group of UDP supporters coming to the area, Vaughn made a coward’s exit in an effort to not be caught.

The PUP legacy on Guatemala
The People's United Party are claiming that they have matured in their position as it relates to Guatemala. What they have never admitted to is that they are responsible for the Webster Proposals, the Heads of Agreement, the Richler Ramphal Proposals, the Confidence Building measures which did away with our borders and gave us the adjacency zone and were the ones who negotiated the compromis which seeks to take the Guatemalan claim to the ICJ. More than that, they had been involved in negotiations with Guatemala which sought to secretly give Belizean land to Guatemala. Now they are trying to pretend as if they had no knowledge of these treasonous acts and are attempting to place pressure on the UDP government and in particular Hon. Wilfred Sedi Elrington for simply speaking the truth.

PUP infiltrates another union
Of all the things to protest about, now it is about uniforms. And they are some very expensive uniforms too. It is just over $277,000 FOR UNIFORMS. How selfish that is when PENSIONERS can’t even PAY THEIR BILLS with the pittance they get as pension. Now truly this is PAST THE LIMIT. It may be the most SELFISH and COWARDLY ATTACK, that I have ever seen on our democracy. These highly educated and paid people are allowing themselves to be used as PAWNS to advance the fortunes of a dying POLITICAL PARTY. SOME MEDIA HOUSES have also allowed their organizations to be used to advance this blatant PUP agenda. Strange but none (not even One ) of the so called nonpartisan Media Houses has said anything about this OUTRAGEOUS amount of money being spent on Clothing when THEY keep talking about POOR PEOPLE and POOR PEOPLE ! Do they know how much people could get a house with that money? Belize must be blessed indeed . The sad thing is that one of these days we will be made to suffer the consequences of these types of ABUSE.

Taiwan doctors stress early detection of kidney disease
A team of medical practitioners from Far Eastern Memorial Hospital in Pan Chiao, Taipei, Taiwan has been in Belize since Monday, October 5, on a mission at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. The mission provided Ophthalmology, E.N.T. and Nephrology diagnosis and treatment. The team leader is Dr. Hung-Yuan Chen who has 15 years experience as a surgeon and 10 years specializing in Nephrology. Chen leads the team but focuses specifically on his area of expertise. He says his primary mission is to stress the importance of early detection of kidney disease for diabetes patients. Most Diabetes patients eventually develop kidney disease. Chen says that people living with Diabetes need to be educated on the symptoms of kidney diseases and treatment options even before they are diagnosed. Proper information will lead to early detection, says Chen, and early detection will allow the patient to better control the condition.

Senior citizen beaten to death in Orange Walk
After suffering for 4 days in the KHMH, 63 year-old Orange Walk Resident Carlos Griffith, a.k.a. “Paraquat” passed away while getting medical treatment. Police have not made any arrests as yet, but what they do know is that he was sitting on a stool near the Town’s Fire Station, on Monday, September 28. At around 8:00 p.m., two men allegedly approached him, and they got into an argument with the senior gentleman over this stool. It escalated to a violent attack where the men allegedly gave him a violent beating, causing Griffith to suffer a fractured skull and a smashed face.

Fined for taking a pee in the yard of a police officer
Armando Esquillano must pay a $200 fine by October 30 or his worst nightmare will begin on Halloween Day when he is sent to the Belize Central Prison to serve two months for trespassing on a private property. Allegations are that on Monday, September 28, he entered the private premises of woman police officer, Angela Wiltshire. Esquilliano appeared unrepresented in court on Friday, October 2. He told the court that he was passing the house on his way home when he realized that he wanted to pee real bad. Therefore, he went to pee in the yard with no knowledge whose yard it was. As he was taking a pee, Esquillano said he heard a man instruct him to freeze and don’t move. Agreeing with the facts of the case, Esquilliano wasted no time and pleaded guilty to the charge.

Human bones found in Belmopan
The family of 75 year-old Francisco Reyes Ruiz are patiently waiting for a pathologist to confirm if a sack of skeletal remains police found on Saturday, October 3, is their loved one. Reyes left his home in the Salvapan area of Belmopan to go farming, and he never returned. Since that time, the family had been persistently searching for him, and they had suspected the worst outcome when he hadn’t returned for days. He spent most of his time at his farm near the Springfield Community, in the Cayo District, and so they had been canvassing that area. A search team, which included 23 year-old Bryan Nolberto, came across a sack of bones between 2 huge rocks, in an area about 6 miles south of the Springfield Community. They examined it and found that it was human remains, and they reported it to police immediately.

General manager of Saint Martin’s Credit Union robbed at gun point
At about 7:45 pm, this past Sunday, a robbery was fully underway on Collins Boulevard in San Ignacio at the residence of Ramon Tzul, 37 year old, General Manager of the Saint Martin’s Credit Union. Tzul was exiting the green Toyota Demax owned by the Saint Martin’s Credit Union, when three men approached him, two of them were armed with handguns and demanded that the keys to the vehicle be handed over to them. The criminals, then headed with the Toyota Demax towards Bullet Tree Falls. San Ignacio Police along with the Special Patrol Unit coordinated with the Bullet Tree Checkpoint, where it was confirmed that the vehicle worth $75,000.00 had passed through Bullet Tree Falls and was then driven to an exit point along the Belize-Guatemala border.

Belize Athletics Association to hold National Track and Field Championship
The Belize Athletics Association invites all athletes and track enthusiasts once again to be a part of a National Track and Field Championship event. The event will be hosted at the Marion Jones Sports Complex on the 14-15 November, 2015. All athletes 16 years and older can participate in the events. Registration forms can be obtained from and returned to the BAA via email ( [email protected]) or from our Face Book page (Belize Athletics Association). Registration forms can also be obtained from and returned to the National Sports Council’s offices throughout the country.

Easy Does It of Flowers Bank Rural softball champions
The Belize Rural Softball Association competition came to an end on Sunday 4 October, 2015, out in Lord’s Bank Village with the Page System Playoffs. In the first semi-final game, UB Jaguars defeated Double Head Cabbage by the score of 15-12, to advance to the Grand Final. The winning pitcher was Amber Wade and the losing pitcher was Herlett Clarke. In the second semi-final game, Easy Does It of Flowers Bank eliminated Lord’s Bank Sunrise by the score of 12-5 to advance to the Final. The winning pitcher was Margaret Hendy and the losing pitcher was Karen Hilton.

Football Federation to hold district association elections
The Football Federation of Belize will be conducting elections for the seven (7) District Associations that make up the Football Federation of Belize. The district elections will be conducted by the Football Federation of Belize in the presence of a representative from the National Sports Council, the Belize Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association and a Justice of the Peace. The elections proceedings for the following Football District Association are as follows:

Belize City Primary Schools Volleyball competition commences
The Belize City Primary Schools Volleyball Competition for school year 2015-2016 commenced today Wednesday 7 October 2015, at Bird’s Isle with two games on the schedule. The competition will see six teams in the girls’ competition and six teams in the boys’ competition. The schools that will compete in the girls’ competition are: Belize Elementary School, Bethel Assembly School, Wesley Upper School, Holy Redeemer School, St. John’s Primary School and St. Mary’s Primary School. Meanwhile, in the boys’ competition, the school that will compete are, Belize Elementary School, Bethel Assembly School, Wesley Upper School, Holy Redeemer School, St. John’s Primary School and St. John Vianney School.

Gregory Shepherd pleads not guilty to burglary
Gregory Shepherd, 20-year-old resident and laborer of Holy Emmanuel Street in the Saint Martin de Pores area, is out on bail of $3,000 after he was charged with the burglary of Jose Rodriguez’s home. Shepherd was represented by attorney Rachel Montejo when he appeared before Magistrate Ladonna John on Monday, October 5. He was read a single charge of burglary. Allegations are that on September 26, 2015, he forced himself into the home of Jose Rodriguez and stole a number of items. Missing from the house was an electric iron grinder valued at $225, an electric drill valued at $250 and other electrical equipment valued at $250. Shepherd pleaded not guilty to the charge. Court prosecutor, Christopher Smith had no objection to bail but asked the court to set conditions to Shepherd’s bail.

Men Busted in vehicle with weed
Kevin Cherrington, 21, is a very lucky young man after he was spared of a $10,000 fine for pleading guilty to possession of 63.3 grams of weed on Monday, October 5. Cherrington was busted with two other men in a blue Honda Accord on Saturday, October 3. Acording to police officer #1433 Arzu, he and other officers were conducting mobile patrol on the Southside of Belize City when they spotted a blue car that caught their attention. They decided to stop the vehicle and execute a search for drugs and ammunition. The driver at the time was Calvin Blease, 23, and the passengers were Adrian Avaloy and Kevin Cherington. All three men exited the vehicle and allowed police to conduct the search. The men were searched first and nothing incriminating was found on either of them. Police then searched the vehicle and found a black plastic bag under the passenger seat of the vehicle. The bag contained weed and as a result all three were arrested and detained.

New carnal knowledge trial for Artie Myers
Artie Myers, 28, is a free man after the Court of Appeals rejected a Supreme Court decision to convict him of carnal knowledge in March of 2014. Myers was serving the nineteenth month of a twelve year sentence when the decision was handed down on Monday, October 5, 2015. He was accused of having sex with a 12-year-old girl in Punta Gorda Town on November 6, 2012. In the Supreme Court trial, Myers was unrepresented. He got what was thought to be a break when the virtual complainant told the court that the statement she gave police back in 2012 was all lies. The prosecutor proceeded to treat the child as a hostile witness but she maintained the position that her story to police was a lie. Despite this, Justice Antoinette Moore allowed the child’s statement to be entered into evidence. Myers was later convicted of the offense of carnal knowledge on March 21, 2014. He was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment on March 28, 2014.

Richard Smith to face firearm charges, four others released
Six men were busted with a .45 revolver on January 17, 2014 when the Gang Suppression Unit intercepted a red F-200 pickup truck at the corner of Central American Boulevard and Peter Secco Street, next to the Belize Water Service. Those men are Jihadul Alackbar Gill Sr., 21, Everal Gray, 29, Delbert Alvarez, 20, Alrick Lamb, 21, Arthur Hill, 20, and Richard Smith, 35. Alrick Lamb took the rap for the bust and pleaded guilty to keeping an unlicensed firearm and keeping unlicensed ammunition. However, the others were not relieved of the charges and trial proceeded against them.

Roaring Creek Grace Kennedy is John Saldivar Softball Champions
The Cayo Softball Association Senior Women’s competition which was sponsored by the Hon. John Saldivar came to an end of Sunday 4th October, 2015, at the Dembeigh Fuller Softball Stadium in Camalote Village, when the final game for the championship was played between the Roaring Creek Grace Kennedy and the Rebels United from Unitedville. The championship was played with vigour and had to go into extra inning where the Roaring Creek emerged as the champion with a 7-6 victory over the Rebels United from Unitedville. The winning pitcher was Leandra Guy and the losing pitcher was Francine Salazar. At the end of the championship, the association presented the championship awards and the individual awards to the respective winners.

Bubble Gum Jaw
In the general elections of 2012, and indeed this one in November 2015, the biggest asset of the People’s United Party was the number of media houses under the control of its surrogates. In the aforementioned 2012 elections, the UDP was most affected by a talk show on Love called Politics Today, where Matura, Gegg and Mohammed pounded the incumbent Government each night. Matura then proceeded to use the name and offices of Oceana to organize a referendum on off-shore drilling, which made the UDP look as if they are in favor of this practice, no matter that it was the PUP which awarded all the drilling concessions immediately prior to the 2008 Generals. In this 2015 election, several talk show hosts, who are actually covert PUP surrogates, are trying to mimic the former program, Politics Today. In fact, they came back with a show called The Business Hour, which centers more on politics than business, hosted by two fervent PUP supporters.

Breaking Belize News

Dangriga police seize gun
Dangriga police searched an abandoned lot on Monday afternoon around 12:25 p.m. and made the discovery of a .380 pistol along with five live rounds of ammunition. No one was in the Lakeland area where the gun and ammunition was found so they were labelled as “Found Property”.

Two detained for Placencia burglary
Two Placencia men have been detained in connection with a burglary at the home of an American businessman and owner of Sail Fish Resort’s. Fifty-year-old Michael Gargan reported to police that sometime between 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on October 6th, his apartment was broken into and a metal safe containing items […]

Multiple drug operation in the west proves successful
San Ignacio police, in an effort to control the distribution and sale of illegal substances in that municipality conducted a number of searches with warrants in hand and with the assistance of the Special Branch Tactical Response Squad. The operations proved successful in three different instances. Twenty-eight-year-old Ramona Vasquez from […]

Man busted for drug trafficking
Randy McNab, a 35-year-old resident of Mangrove Street in Dangriga Town, was arrested and charged for the offense of “drug trafficking” on Tuesday after police busted him with cannabis and money suspected to be the proceeds of drug sales. While on mobile patrol in the “Backa Town” area, officers noticed […]

Stann Creek farmer claims Fantasy 5 after slip
An elderly man from the Stann Creek district won Tuesday night’s Fantasy Five Jackpot of $286,000. 76 year old Malcolm John Dale picked the lucky numbers 05, 11, 19, 34, 29. Dale visited the Fantasy Five Office with his winning ticket yesterday to claim the Jackpot, but couldn’t […]

PM defends Elrington as forces gather against him
On September 30, Attorney General and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wilfred Elrington gave his last statement in that capacity at the United Nations’ 70th General Assembly in New York City. Since then, Citizens Organized for Liberty thru Action has taken him to task saying he failed to use […]

FCIB excoriates CWU over negotiations
CIBC First Caribbean Bank says it does not conduct its business in the public domain. But in the wake of the back and forth between the Christian Workers’ Union (CWU) and the Bank concerning efforts to settle the workers’ exit package as the Bank prepares to transfer its […]

Audit employees complain anonymously on Facebook
Various anonymous members of the Office of the Auditor General of Belize have started a Facebook page entitled “The Corruption Starts Here.” This is in reference to a stated goal of the Audit Department, to investigate and root out corrupt practices in Government departments. While in practice the […]

PM hosts business forum
Today was the 4th Annual Prime Minister’s Business Forum which was held today at the Biltmore Hotel in Belize City. Among other things, a report on the status of reform actions discussed at PM Business Forums in the past was presented. In his closing remarks PM Barrow said […]

BPP’s new candidates have big dreams for Belize
ast week saw the launch of the Belize Progressive Party (BPP), an amalgation of two smaller political parties and former members of a third. They introduced the first eleven candidates to contest the 2015 general elections. Today they announced the addition of seven more. They are housewife and mother of […]

PUP unveil health policy
The PUP has unveiled its health policy which addresses health as a holistic goal for all Belizeans. PUP Leader Francis Fonseca stated, “Fundamental to healthy livings for all Belizeans are the basic programmes of development that are central to the plan of action of the next PUP government. Good […]

Belize Progressive Party to name seven new candidates
The Belize Progressive Party (BPP) is today naming seven new candidates for the 2015 general elections. The candidates presented themselves at the Belize Institute of Management, pledging to declare their income and assets in accordance with the Prevention of Corruption in Public Life Act. The candidates are Elizabeth […]

SSB workers walk out again
Workers of the Social Security Board across the country which have been agitating for advancement on their Collective Bargaining Agreement apparently walked out of their offices and began picketing. In Belize City sixteen workers did so around three Wednesday afternoon. According to 7 News they have been demanding […]

Hattieville man accused of carnal knowledge of 11 year old
A 29 year old man accused of twice having sexual intercourse with an 11 year old girl, causing her grievous harm, has been remanded to Belize Central Prison. Hattieville resident, Akeem Alexander Allen is two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor 11 years old and one count of […]

Report: Major crimes down, murder rises
For the fourth time in five years, through the first nine months of 2015, murders have cracked the 100 mark with a reported 102 compared to 91 in the same period for 2014. However, other major crimes including burglary and theft are down sharply, resulting in 200 fewer […]

Bus driver faces charges for little girl’s death
54 year old Honduran national Jose Rodriguez, a truck driver, has been charged with manslaughter by negligence, causing death by careless conduct and driving without due care and attention in connection with Monday’s road traffic accident on the George Price Highway that claimed the life of 11 year old Tezzrah Diamond Thompson. Thompson, […]

PUP Pickstock candidate “not involved with COLA”
While he concedes that his objectives and theirs are the same, candidate for the People’s United Party (PUP) in Pickstock division, Dr. Francis Smith, denies being in any way involved in activist group Citizens Organized for Liberty through Action (COLA)’s decision to actively campaign against his Pickstock opponent, Wilfred […]

Two charged for Belize City robbery
Two of three Belize City men charged with the brazen daylight robbery of Southern Choice Butane Limited are denied bail and have been remanded to Central Prison. 26 year old Kevin Faber, unemployed resident of Gibnut Street, and 25 year old Warren Davis, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann-Marie Smith charged […]

Blogs

Some of the Beauties of Fall on Ambergris Caye
NONE of these are steadfast rules but this October so far has been quite beautiful. With flat seas perfect for diving… …and certain lawns have been turning into marshes of fresh water filled with frogs…and some really gorgeous birds. Yesterday, once again, we came to a screaming halt when we spotted a lone roseate spoonbill perched on top of a telephone pole. Osprey, yes. But spoonbill? Not your every day sighting. The flock eating frogs and tadpoles. It IS the circle of life after all…

Sipping Cocktails on the Beach—And You Call This Work?
I’m sitting on the beach in Hopkins Village in Belize—mimosa in hand—staring out over the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea trying to find the exact point where the clear blue sky meets the water. This friendly village is the heart of the Garifuna culture in Belize and my home for the next couple of days. There isn’t much on my to-do list…sunning, swimming, and a Garifuna drumming lesson with a local drummer. I’m halfway through an adventurous road trip around this captivating little country and taking a day or two to reflect on the experiences of the last few days. Belize is a country full of diversity. Depending on your interests you can have the completely relaxed, tropical, seaside experience…or inland mountain adventures, visits to ancient Maya sites, and encounters with local wildlife.

Words Of Wisdom For Anyone Considering Retiring To Belize
"When we got off the plane on our first trip to Belize, we knew immediately that this was the place for us," Kathy continues. "It just felt right, right away." One thing that attracted Jim and Kathy to Belize was the fact that the language is English. "Learning Spanish wasn't something we wanted to deal with," Jim admits. "Another thing we really appreciate about this country is the people," Kathy adds. "We've lived all around the world with the military, and we find the people in Belize to be wonderful and friendly. Belize is one of the top 10 happiest countries in the world. When they say 'good morning,' they actually mean it." "On the other hand," Jim adds, "living here, you need patience. Belize moves at its own pace, and Belizeans are on mañana time. Monday may mean Monday, but not necessarily next Monday."

Serenity now at San Ignacio Resort Hotel
I know a few of you are Seinfeld fans and have seen the “Serenity now” episode where a few of the cast started saying that phrase as a method to lower blood pressure and the saying turns to “Serenity now, insanity later” as everyone using the mantra gets more worked up as the show progresses. Thankfully that was not the case at our recent stay at San Ignacio Resort Hotel. It truly was serenity relaxation all the way. We also got pampered well and every time we came back to our room there was a new treat waiting for us. As much as I love food, my favorite one was the day they left a flower petal happy birthday message on the bed. It came with a bouquet with mums and roses which was extra special to me. Roses are not easily found here and a professional gardener confirmed that is because they are not commonly grown as they take so much care.

TORTITAS DE BROCOLI CON ZANAHORIA
Batimos los huevos y los agregamos a la cacerola junto con el brócoli y la zanahoria en trozos, mezclamos nuevamente hasta que todo se integre bien y hacemos las tortitas del tamaño que deseemos para después colocarlas en una bandeja para hornear. Cuando tengamos todas las tortitas hechas y colocadas en la bandeja horneamos en horno precalentado a 190 grados centígrados durante 15 minutos, pasados los 15 minutos sacamos la bandeja, damos vuelta a las tortitas de brócoli y horneamos durante 15 minutos más.

International Sources

Ancient recording of Earth core's birth
A reassessment of ancient rocks has led scientists to estimate that Earth's inner core started to form earlier than was previously thought, around 1.3 billion years ago. As it started to freeze, the core began generating a bigger magnetic field, which continues to today. The work is reported in Nature journal. Earth's active core contrasts sharply with that of our neighbour Mars, whose strong early magnetic field died around four billion years ago. Our planet's magnetic field is generated deep in the planet by the turbulent motion of the electrically conducting molten iron of the outer core.

Climate Time Machine
This series of visualizations shows how some of Earth's key climate indicators are changing over time.

The next NFL kicker to miss an extra point wins a trip to Belize
For NFL kickers looking to visit Half Moon Caye or the mountainous city of Belmopan, the Belize tourism board has quite the offer. The next guy to miss one of the league’s new 33-yard extra points wins a free trip to the Central American nation. So far there have been 17 missed extra points this season by 15 different kickers. Kyle Brindza and Randy Bullock both missed two apiece and were cut by their teams. But if the next guy to miss the gimme kick gets released, at least he can spend his time off in a tropical paradise.

Mummies, Bones & Catacombs: Seeing Dead People for Fun
Seeking skeletons, mummies and other human remains -- seeing dead people for fun -- is a pursuit I've dubbed "cadravel," from "cadaver" plus "travel." Cadravel is spooky, but it's also wake-up-and-smell-the-membrane sobering, reminding us that life is short, that we're all the same inside and that we'll all end up this way -- well, maybe not with our tibia transformed into chandeliers at the Czech Republic's skele-tastic Sedlec Ossuary, say, but dead. Which is something we seriously need to know. Belize's Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave, a longtime Maya ceremonial site, is now an archaeological wonderland housing many artifacts including a full skeleton dubbed the Crystal Maiden: Sparkling faintly, calcified into the cavern floor from which it gazes, one leg straight and the other bent, it's said to evince ancient sacrifice.

SD man taught us about the world
Don Bohning, who spent three decades building up the Miami Herald’s Latin American coverage, died early Saturday after a long battle with cancer. He was 82. Gugliotta discovered just how highly esteemed Bohning was in the eyes of Caribbean politicians one morning when George Price, the eccentric but charming prime minister of Belize, popped in without warning at the old Herald building on Biscayne Boulevard, having flown to Miami and then taking a bus to see Bohning for an impromptu chat. Minutes later, two harried Secret Service agents burst into the Herald lobby, frantic that their charge had wandered away. Bohning was nonplussed neither by the arrival of Price nor that of the distraught agents. His patience and tranquility in the face of maddog dictators and penurious publishers were legendary. He stayed calm even in the face of the serial catastrophes that marked his attempt to cover the U.S. invasion of Grenada in 1983. The U.S. military was barring reporters from the scene, but Bohning and five other reporters hired a smuggler with a speedboat in St. Vincent and the Grenadines to slip them in. Making its final run to shore through bombing and artillery fire, the boat capsized, destroying all Bohning’s notes and recordings.

Belize Offers a Free, Relaxing Vacation to Next Stressed-Out NFL Kicker to Miss
NFL kickers seem to be stressed out this season, as there's been a rash of missed kicks, including 18 this past week alone. But now, the country of Belize is here to help—offering a free bye-week trip to Belize to the next kicker who misses a field goal or extra point attempt. The offer, dreamed up by Belize's PR/social agency Olson Engage, is made in this video starring Belize national soccer defender Ian Gaynair, who'll give free kicking lessons to the lucky "winner." (Because missing kicks isn't embarrassing enough.) The Colts' Adam Vinatieri (seen above, missing a kick in the AFC Championship Game last January) and the Texans' Nick Novak, who play Thursday night, are first in line for the chance to get rewarded for sucking.

Videos

October 8, 2015

FOR TODAY'S BELIZE WEATHER, CLICK HERE

Click for our Daily Tropical Weather Report.

Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5, LOVETV, PGTV, West Vision (Cayo) and CTV 3
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, Rise and Shine Morning Show, and the Dickie Bradley Specials

The San Pedro Sun

Lunch at Lily’s
Lily’s Treasure Chest is a beautifully located beach side restaurant in front of the Amigo’s Del Mar dock and it’s been around for quite some time! With a great view and fair prices it is definitely an island favorite. A popular place for locals and visitors alike, rarely do you pass this place and come across an empty patio! Just in from a day snorkelling and diving or maybe fishing? Lily’s is the perfect place to bring your catch of the day and have it prepared just the way you like! And if fishing’s not your thing, you can enjoy a full menu of options from breakfast to lunch. Enjoy a classic Belizean Breakfast with fry jacks or fresh flour tortillas with a side of eggs and re fried beans, Rice and Beans with stew chicken and potato salad for lunch or choose from array of seafood dinners and burgers.

Volleyball Marathon held prior to official tournament
On Friday, October 2nd, a volleyball marathon was held at the Honorable Louis Sylvester Sporting Complex. The event saw teams in three categories competing in a series of matches. Four male, three female and three junior teams participated in the marathon in view of the upcoming beach volleyball tournament scheduled to commence in the second week of October. Both the marathon and the tournament are organized by the San Pedro Sporting Committee and sponsored by the San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) and Honorable Manuel Heredia Jr. According to Councilor Hector “Tito” Alamilla, the idea of the marathon was to let everyone know that there is an official tournament coming up and to remind residents of the forgotten sport on the island. “This is an idea that the Sports Committee had, since volleyball was once a very popular sport on the island. But it died out, so the idea was to bring it back to life. To make this happen we engaged in constructing a proper beach volleyball court with a one foot layer of sand,” explained Alamilla. The tournament, similar to the marathon, will include male, female and junior teams and a fee will be required upon registration. “In the Male and Female category, a fee of $150 is to be paid upon registration per team, while the junior category will be charged $100 per team. In all categories there will be six players per team,” said Alamilla. At the end of the tournament, which is expected to last between one and two months depending on how many teams are registered, trophies and cash prizes will be awarded to the winners.

International River and Beach Cleanup continues to promote Trash Free Seas
Saturday, October 3rd marked yet another successful International River and Beach Cleanup on Ambergris Caye. The 30th annual cleanup is spearheaded worldwide by Ocean Conservancy and officially began on Saturday, September 19th. Here in Belize, Oceana in Belize and the Belize Scouts Association are the national entities pushing the cleanup of Belize’s coastlines, which saw its 24th installment. This year’s cleanup was held under the team “Trash Free Seas – Every Piece, Every Person” with aims of raising awareness to the importance of keeping our water bodies trash free. The local cleanup efforts started from 8AM, with volunteers divided in to seven groups to cover more ground. Armed with garbage bags and gloves, the volunteers took to designated coastal areas in the attempt of ridding La Isla Bonita of accumulated garbage in our marine environment. The main efforts were centered in clearing the island beaches, with four groups tasked to collect washed up garbage from Boca del Rio Park south to the Mosquito Coast Area. The day also saw in-water cleanup of the Boca del Rio channel and Mexico Rocks Dive Site. Another key cleanup area was the Northern Ambergris Caye beaches known as turtle nesting sites.

Territorial Dispute heading to the ICJ without people’s referendum
With only weeks till the next General Elections, the current administration is involved in yet another controversy, as Mister of Foreign Affairs Wilfred Elrington announced that an agreement has been signed to by-pass the public referendum and simply take the Belize-Guatemala territorial dispute to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The bold announcement was made during the 70th session of the United Nation’s (UN) General Assembly on Friday, October 2nd in New York, United Sates of America. Both the Belizean and Guatemalan governments had agreed to host a public referendum to decide whether Guatemala’s claim over a certain area of Belize should be presented to the ICJ for an ultimate decision. COLA’s President, Giovanni Brackett stated that Elrington is not working for the best of the Belizean community. “The Foreign Minister has acted recklessly and grossly misrepresented what the peoples of both countries believe and were told about this process from the very beginning. Each time it is mentioned, it must be explicitly stated as a condition of agreement, not implicit, lest people be misled,” said Brackett.

Ambergris Today

Another Successful Blood Drive by Red Cross and Cancer Society
The Belize Red Cross – San Pedro Branch (BRCSP) held another successful blood drive on Saturday, October, 2015, with many community members turning out to donate blood at the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II, Manta Ray St., San Pedro. Community volunteers helped make the process go smoothly as they took their places as greeters at the door, handing out juice and cookies, directing traffic and collecting donations on the street.

Misc Belizean Sources

One Police Officer's Request for Improvement
Dear Sir/Madam: I write this letter to you because I need your assistance. I need your assistance to help me set wrong to right. Please help me correct the injustice that have been plaguing my brothers and I in the police department who have been working under the twelve hour shift system. It has been one year and four months working the twelve hour shift system and it displeases me for not speaking out sooner. Actually, the displeasure come not from not speaking out, but from not taking action sooner. From it inception, I was against it and told everybody I meet about my opinions on the system. Ever since I have been transferred to Belize City, I have expressed and keep on expressing my opinion of the oppressive conditions that they have us working under. So as not to “jump the gun”, I’ll start from the beginning. I am Nelson Ramos. I have been a policeman for more than a decade. I love my job and cannot see myself doing anything else. However, for the past year or so, every day when it’s time to go to work, I dread the idea and am of the opinion that the Department is taking advantage of me and my colleagues.

Playing this weekend at the Paradise Theatre in San Pedro

Empyrean Plant Exchange
The Empyrean Art Center is doing another Seed and Plant Exchange this Saturday. They have some really cool art there too.

Belize Fishing Report: September 27th - October 3rd, 2015
Bonefish showed in numbers for many anglers including first timers. We are blessed with an incredible bonefish fishery and it shows. Weather was mostly cloudy but that did not stop Robert from landing two permit. The tarpon were a main attraction and it was a great week for those targeting them.

BEL Recovers from Nationwide Power Interruption
Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) has restored power supply to the country following a nationwide unplanned power interruption last evening. At 7:10 p.m., BEL lost power supply from Mexico’s Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) when that supplier experienced a trip at its Chetumal Substation. BEL commenced its restoration sequence using local generation whilst CFE simultaneously worked to resolve the issue. At 7:47 p.m. power was restored to San Pedro Town; thereafter to the Belize District, the West and South. Power was restored to the remainder of the country by 8:04 p.m. CFE continues to investigate the cause of the trip on its system. In the meantime, BEL is balancing its use of local generation sources with CFE supply to minimize any further interruptions in the event of another system trip with CFE.

Poets Corner: New Political Consciousness
By Abdulmajeed K Nunez. Joe and Alfonso calls it “simple season” The BPP is powered by naysayers and hating persons Belize’s BPP is not comprised of politicians The BPP are agents of change introducing a new political consciousness to a dying nation Democracy is on life support Some of our parliamentarians are on US wanted reports You deserve better, Belize, you just need to put some effort Don’t be dazzled with a San Pedro airport Corrupt politicians will thwart the effort Or promised salary adjustment so you stop agitate That is how politician hawl in their bait

Empyrean Plant Exchange
The Empyrean Art Center is doing another Seed and Plant Exchange this Saturday. They have some really cool art there too.

FCD’s Executive Director presents the state of the Chiquibul
At the House of Lords in London. FCD is thankful to the High Commissioner of Belize and her staff in the United Kingdom for the coordination and support given.

Channel 7

Police: He Knocked Down And Killed Tezzrah
He knocked down and killed 11 year old Tezzrah Thompson on Monday afternoon in Mahogany Heights and today – after two nights in custody - 44 year old naturalized Belizean, Jose Carlos Rodriguez was arraigned on 3 traffic offenses:, manslaughter by negligence, causing death by careless conduct and driving without due care and attention. He appeared before Magistrate Ladonna John in Court #4; no plea was taken since the matters will be tried at the Supreme Court. There was no objection to bail, but the prosecutor was had concerns about of his immigration status. Rodriguez’s relatives were able to furnish the court with his passport that shows that he is a Honduran by birth, but a naturalized Belizean living in Belize for 23 years.

PUP Says Reform Is Healthy
About 9 months ago, the PUP launched its education reform campaign as part of the party’s national strategy to convince the public that they have solutions for the problems in education. Well today, just in time for the election, the party rolled out its Health Policy, which seeks to address the problems in the health system. Doing the unveiling were PUP Leader Francis Fonseca, and two Doctor candidates, Francis Smith, and Lesbia Guerra, the candidates for Pickstock and Cayo West, respectively. This morning, party supporters packed Independence Hall where Fonseca was the first to take the podium: Francis Fonseca - Leader, PUP "Fundamental to healthy livings for all Belizeans are the basic programmes of development that are central to the plan of action of the next PUP government. Good paying jobs, equitable distribution of house lots and farm. Safe neighbourhoods, clean drinking water. Nutritious school lunches for our children, access to quality education, decent housing, sports and recreational facilities and an efficient and reliable public transportation system."

Dr. Francis Says No Funny Business With COLA
While we had the opportunity, we asked Dr. Smith if he is in any way involved in COLA’s decision to actively campaign against his Pickstock opponent, Wilfred Elrington. As we showed you yesterday, the grassroots organization announced that they are officially getting into the political arena, not to be elected, but just to try to get voters not to vote for Elrington. Their reasoning is that if he cannot win his seat as Pickstock’s Area Representative, he cannot be re-appointed as the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Politically, Smith has the most to gain in this campaign since any vote that Elrington doesn’t get, benefits him. So, we asked him about his connection to this new campaign, and here’s how he responded: Dr. Francis Smith - PUP Candidate, Pickstock "I have no contradictions with COLA because we have the same mission." Daniel Ortiz "But sir, it appears as though you are the most to benefit, you have the most to gain from this. Then we know that he met with you the other night. Some would suggest that you are one of the architects along this push from COLA. Are you involved in that in any way?"

Man Blacks Out, Causes Accident
There was a traffic accident around 4:00 this afternoon at Mile One on the George Price Highway near the Lord’s Ridge Cemetery. Details are still sketchy at this time – but we understand that a grey Mazda Tribute travelling towards the city – collided into a blue tracker driven by 51 year old Victorio Herrate. On the scene we saw the driver of the Mazda Tribute inside his vehicle – reluctant to move. We were told both drivers received injuries. We spoke briefly to Herrate. Translated from Spanish to English on Behalf of the Driver. Victorio Herrate - Driver in Accident "He said he was coming this way and the tracker hit him because this car was parked bad. They just got out and left the tracker." Reporter "So who hit who?" Victorio Herrate - Driver in Accident "He said this guy hit him. He tried to stop; the Mazda hit the tracker."

Spontaneous Sickout At SSB City
Disgruntled SSB workers across the country took their industrial action to another level and staged a sickout this afternoon. We saw about 16 workers walk out of the Belize City Branch office one by one at 3:00 this afternoon. We are told similar actions and picketing happened at other branches. They have been demanding financial compensation for the 10 month uniform delay but management does not acknowledge or agree with that demand. SSB Chairman Doug Singh has stated his position on the matter and says he is sticking with it but the workers refuse to accept that and simply walked out sick today. And to further solidify their position, the NTUCB sent out a 1,000 word press release condemning the remarks of Chairman Doug Singh on the media. In it, they accuse Singh of “providing misleading and inaccurate information”. It continues by stating that “the CWU and the SSB workers denounces the recent conduct of the SSB Chairman Doug Singh, who seems intent in raising public sentiments against the workers.” It adds that “the CWU rejects the comments made by the Chairman and considers them to be disingenuous.”

City Jackers Arraigned In Sugar City
30- year old Jarrett Crawford and 21 year old Albert Wagner allegedly went all the way from Belize City to Orange Walk Town to commit an armed robbery – and tonight they are remanded to prison because of it. The pair appeared in Orange Walk Magistrate’s Court today where they were each arraigned on a single count of robbery. They were remanded to prison until November 7th. As we showed you – the pair were allegedly caught on camera holding up Yan’s store at 9:45 on Saturday night. The store is at the entrance to Trial Farm village – and the pair showed up unmasked posing as customers – Crawford even bought a cigarette and a pack of gum. But, things took a turn around 10:00 pmwhen they turned a gun on the shop owner and patrons and took $2,000 dollars in cash, $1,000 dollars worth of Smart and Digicell phone cards and a cell phone.

Molester Did Grievous Harm To A Child
29 year-old Hattieville Resident Akeem Alexander Allen is at prison tonight after being arraigned for allegedly molesting an 11 year-old girl. The allegations are that in June and July of this year, he had sexual intercourse with the child. Police investigated the report and they charged him with 2 counts of unlawful sexual intercourse and 1 count of grievous harm – which refers to serious physical injury. He was arraigned today before Chief Magistrate Smith, who did not take any plea, and who also could not offer him any bail. He was remanded to the Belize Central Prison until December 22.

Daylight Robbers Caught
Two of three men who allegedly pulled off an armed robbery in Belize City on Monday morning were taken to court today. It happened at Southern Choice Butane at Mile 4 on the Phillip Goldson Highway on Monday, October 5, at 11:00 am. That’s when two men walked into the compound and asked to purchase butane. But that quickly changed when one of the men got grabbed one of the workers from behind and choked him, dragged him inside the office, and then locked both he and the secretary both in another room. They left in five minutes taking $6,569 dollars in cash. Police say three men were involved. Well a pair alleged to be two of them, 26 year old Kevin Faber, and 25 year old Warren Davis, were today escorted in cuffs to appear before Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith in Court #1 to answer to two robbery offenses. Both men were unrepresented and pleaded not guilty to the two counts of robbery. Prosecutor in the case, Inspector Egbert Castillo had heavy objections to bail arguing that the police case is very strong against the men, and if they are granted bail, they may try to interfere with the witnesses.

Murder Up, Major Crimes Down
Murders are up for the first nine months of 2015, but overall, major crime is down. Police crime statistics leaked unto facebook today show there through the end of September 2015, there were 102 murders, compared to 91 in the same period last year. Rape and robbery were also up, but reports of burglary and theft were down significantly – leading to two hundred fewer major crimes through the end of September 2015 as compared to the previous year.

Mark, King of Landfill
Back in January, when he was still serving as Lake Independence Area Representative, Mark King rolled out the OPEC Fund’s landfill program. That’s basically where about a thousand home owners in Lake I got a free load of landfill to try to alleviate the problem of living with swamps and floods which they’ve endured for years. Well, today King started sending dump truck drivers to deliver landfill to another 1,000 homeowners in that constituency, as the second portion of the program. But, is it conveniently timed to try to gain favour with the voters of Lake Independence? King told us that it is not. Welcome back to 7News – we apologize for the break in transmission due to a nationwide blackout caused by a failure of the CFE system in Mexico. We resume now with Lake I Area Representative Mark King talking about the OPEC funded landfill programme he’s rolling out – we were asking if it is an election gimmick:…

King on The Squatter Situation
So, what about his ongoing problem with the squatters on Chetumal Street and in the Foam Factory Area? As we told you, he announced a week ago that Ambassador Sarkis Abu-nahra has donated some acres of land to be distributed, and he mentioned a few other landowners, particularly the Bradley Estate, who had agreed in to give back some of the land in good faith. As we told you last week, the owners of the Bradley Estate said that they had not arrived any such agreement. We asked King if he was mistaken, or worse, being disingenuous when he mentioned the Bradley Estate owners. Here’s how he answered that: Mark King - UDP Candidate, Lake I "I don't know why I would go on national TV and lie but I will tell you the truth of the matter of that interview was to highlight that Mr. Abu-Nahra is giving us an amount of land; and he have squatters coming in to get those land which we will give to them. And I will not stand here on TV to tell you this when you could play back the interview and say this is what you said. The matter for the Bradley estate is that they don't know who's in control of the Bradley estate.

Conchshell Cops
Officers from Eastern Division South were out meeting community members again today. As we have reported this is part of the police department’s goal of connecting with residents and rekindling trust. Today we met with some officers who were in the Conch Shell Bay Area and they told us just how welcoming the residents are and how rewarding the initiative is. Insp. Adrian Banner - Staff Officer, Eastern Division South "What’s happening is that we are continuing our meet and greet effort. What we want to do is meet all the communities in eastern division south and in the entire Belize; because what is happening on eastern division south also happens on north. Our effort to try and bridge the gap between the community and the police so that they become more familiar and appreciated and they could share their views and ideas with us as how we can improve in assisting them as we do our job."

Teacher and Students
A clean spacious yard, a couple swings and an ice-cream shop: sounds like haven for kids right? Well, it’s actually an after school program and no, they don’t eat ice cream and play all evening – they complete assignments and are tutored in Math and other core subjects. We spoke to the director of the program Sebastian Cob and he told us how the program merges learning with fun. Cob and his wife have been running the program for 10 years in Pickstock but they moved to Fabers road and have been operating there for 4 years. The after classes are from Monday to Thursday from 4:45 to 6:30. Cob also has summer classes for the kids. 20 to 30 students attend the after school classes throughout the year while about 60 attend the summer classes. Those who can’t afford to pay the small fee are still allowed to attend.

Munnings To Malta
Andrew Munnings is a Youth Advocate Officer with the Department of Youth Services in the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports. But this young man made history in Belize when he became the first Belizean to be nominated to the post of Caribbean and Regional Representative on the Commonwealth Youth Council. Munnings will be competing against 19 other nominees at the Commonwealth Youth Forum that will be held at the Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting in Malta. Today he stopped by our studios to share his excitement. Munnings leaves for the forum on November 18 and returns on the 28th.

Channel 5

SSB Employees Walk Out in Protest
If you weren’t looking for it, you probably wouldn’t have seen it; but at three p.m. today employees in the Social Security Board offices countrywide walked out. We are informed [...]

PUP Launches Health Plan
Today the People’s United Party launched its Manifesto on Health at Independence Hall in Belize City. The P.U.P., on an intensive run to elections in less than a month, says [...]

PUP Leaders Outlines Voter Issues
While health is a major platform of the Party, Fonseca says that there are other core issues which his party is addressing – issues which he feels voters will be [...]

Fonseca Says PUP is Serious About Governance Reform
Fonseca also gave us a sneak peek into the governance platform of the party which will be launched soon. That plan will speak to issues like the thirteenth senator and [...]

Francis Smith Says He is not Funding COLA
COLA, the Citizens Organized for Liberty Through Action, will be organizing a public meeting in the Pickstock Constituency on Thursday. The venue is significant because of COLA’s most recent campaign. [...]

Minor Accident Blocks Traffic in the City
Just before four this afternoon, traffic was backed up on the George Price Highway near the Lord Ridge Cemetery. Two vehicles traveling in opposite directions collided head on.  From what [...]

Belize City Cops Nab Southern Choice Butane Jackers
Turning to crime…Tonight, two of three suspects in a brazen daylight robbery at the premises of Southern Choice Butane Ltd., located at mile four on the Phillip Goldson Highway, are [...]

Kareem Musa on the Campaign Trail
As we do every election cycle, News Five is kicking off its pre-election coverage, Meet the Candidates. In the twenty-eight days leading up to general elections, we will attempt to [...]

Musa Says Darrell Bradley Bit Off More Than He Can Chew
According to Musa, Bradley has too much on his plate with his law practice, City Hall obligations and current campaign for higher office. He took the opportunity to send out [...]

Darrell Bradley Says Campaign Has Been Well Received
On the other side of the political fence is Mayor Darrell Bradley. While Bradley has cemented his reputation as a formidable candidate by concreting streets and drains across the city [...]

Bradley Is Confident…Says Voters Are Free Thinkers
Since general elections in 2008, Caribbean Shores has been a concentrated area for the U.D.P.  Notwithstanding its label as a red stronghold, Bradley says he is not taking for granted [...]

Driver Charged in Road Traffic Fatality
Tonight, forty-four year old Honduran driver, a naturalized Belizean, was arraigned in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court and was slapped with three traffic offenses in relation to a fatal traffic [...]

Hattieville Resident Arraigned for Unlawful Sexual Intercourse
Reports on the number of persons involved in unlawful sex continue to balloon, while the victims are getting younger. Today, twenty-nine year old Hattieville resident, Akeem Alexander Allen, was arraigned [...]

Outspoken Stevedore Makes His Debut for the BPP
Outspoken unionist Raymond Rivers, a stevedore by profession, is making his foray into electoral politics by aligning himself with the Belize Progressive Party.  Rivers has thrown his hat into the [...]

Roger Espejo on the Campaign Trail
But back to politics….earlier today, we caught up with former city councilor, Roger Espejo, who has thrown his hat into the ring in the Fort George division. Now, the sitting [...]

CROSQ AGM Held in Belize
The Bi-Annual General Meeting of the Caribbean Regional Organization of Standards and Qualities, also known as CROS-Q, is being held in Belize. Fifteen standards departments from across the Caribbean are [...]

Police Continue Community Meet & Greet Efforts
Community Policing moved today to Buttonwood Bay in the city. While the area is relatively crime free, it is congested with businesses which means that the flow of traffic is [...]

CTV3

Belize Signs Agreement With CARICOM
An agreement for two grants has been signed between Prime Minister Dean Barrow and the Chief Executive Officer of the CARICOM Development Fund, Lorne Mcdonnough. Under the agreement $2.3 Million US has been allocated for the construction of the new Haulover Bridge and $162,000 US to support energy efficiency projects for the private sector. The construction of the new Haulover Bridge is estimated to cost $9.0 million US which will be co-financed by the Caribbean Development Bank and the government of Belize. The second grant however, will be managed by the Development Finance Corporation and it will be disbursed to firms so as to retrofit their operations and install solar power generation to make them energy efficient and competitive.

Another Chinese Robbed, This time In Corozal District
A Chinese grocery store was robbed in the Corozal District. CTV3 News understands that the incident took place yesterday in the village of Xaibe where Zhen Zhen Chinese Grocery Store is located. Today when our reporter Karel Heredia visited the Corozal Police Station for details, he was informed that up to news time no one has come forward to make an official report. We were informed that several attempts have been made to get the owners to come in and file a police report, but they refuse to come forward and assist with the investigation that may lead to the arrest of the delinquents.

Will Former UDP Mayor Launch His Candidacy In Orange Walk Central?
With the country plunged into a political fever pitch, everyday leading to the General Elections is interesting, at least where the news is concerned. Today ramblings on the street is that a new political candidate is contemplating throwing his name in the upcoming General Election ring. From what we have been able to gather, former UDP Mayor of Orange Walk Town, Philip De La Fuente has his eyes set to run in Orange Walk Central. Whether he will run independent or under the umbrella of the newly formed Belize Progressive Party is not yet known. But what we can tell you is that we spoke to De la Fuente briefly today where he expressed that he is still in the deciding stages and will know for certain on Thursday after consulting with his family. That’s a huge revelation since De La Fuente is known as a die-hard UDP.

BAHA Eradicates Birds Suspected Of Being Infected With Avian Flu
We have reported on the eradication of back yard poultry in Fire Burn Village by the Belize Agriculture and Health Authority, BAHA less than two weeks ago. Today, we have an update on the matter as Director of Animal Health at BAHA, Dr. Miguel Depaz, in an interview with Plus TV, confirmed the department has been eradicating birds suspected of being infected with Avian Flu. Dr. Depaz clarified though that the detection has been strictly among back yard birds and not at commercial breeders. “There is two types of systems, there is the commercial system and there is the backyard so presently we are detecting these in backyard poultry so the household would only have a few birds rather than the thousands of birds that we would have to deal with in the commercial sector so the detection in the north we are putting more interest in that detection because of a commercial poultry sector of Little Belize, Shipyard, Blue Creek so we are putting a lot of interest in the detection of up north and actually we have taken some measures to quickly eradicate where we had detected it in the north because we want to protect the commercial sector up there.”

PUP Unveils National Plan For Health Care
Over the past weeks the country’s health sector, under the leadership of Pablo Marin, has been in crisis. From rat infestation, a rat biting the toe of a new born baby to the death of a mother giving birth to her fourth child, the health sector has been under constant scrutiny. With a health system in shambles, today the People’s United Party unveiled their national plan for health care and how they want to “fix a broken system”. As the campaigns intensify, the PUP says it has elaborated a solid plan of action that includes good paying jobs, equitable house lot distributions, quality education to proper sporting and recreational facilities. The PUP adds too that among these is the need for an affordable and efficient health care system. Party leader Francis Fonseca says spiraling medical costs, corruption and inefficiency among other things have put Belize’s Health system in a state of crisis.

Protest Note Sent By Belize To Guatemala On August 16th Incursion Released For The Public
Viewers may recall a historic expedition to the Sarstoon Island led by the Belize Territorial Volunteers on August 16th that included and interception by Guatemalan naval authorities and incursion on Belizean waters on their behalf. Three days later, Prime Minister Dean Barrow announced that a Diplomatic Protest Note had been sent to Guatemala in regards to the incident. That note though, was never made available to the public much less Guatemala’s response despite several requests made to Prime Minister Dean Barrow and Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington. But that has changed. On the October 6th edition of the Amandala Newspaper both the protest note sent by GOB to Guatemala’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and their response were published with the permission of Senator Lisa Shoman who made them available for the Belizean public to be educated.

Well Known Belize City Criminals Charged For Yan's Store Robbery
This afternoon, 30-year-old Jarrett Crawford of Raccoon Street, Belize City and 21-year-old Albert Wagner of Lords Bank Village were arraigned in the Orange Walk Magistrate’s Court where they were read a single charge of robbery. The charge stems from an armed robbery at Mr. Yan’s Store in the Trial Farm Village on Saturday Night. As we reported, 43 year old Yan Cui was at the cashier serving customers when Wagner and Crawford entered the store bare-faced pretending to patronize the store. One of the men pulled out a firearm and pointed it at the customers while the other man jumped behind the counter and helped himself to $2,000.00 cash, $1,000.00 worth of Smart and Digicell phone cards and one cell phone valued at $1,300.00.

Crime Statistics Show Increase In Murder Cases
Countrywide crime statistics reveal that major offenses are being committed and not enough arrests or convictions are being recorded. The latest data shows a comparison with crimes committed in 2014 and 2015. As it pertains to Murder, data shows that there has been an increase from January and shows a slight dip on August and September for a total of 102 total murders in 2015 compared to 91 in 2014. Of these reports, 28 arrests were made in 2014 and 48 arrests in 2015. The data reveals that most murders go unsolved or turn cold cases. As it pertains to Rape reports, it revealed an increasing trend from January but stabilized in September; bringing the total to 29 in 2014 and 32 in 2015. Of these reports, 20 arrests were made in 2014 while only 8 arrests were made in 2015.

LOVE FM

Robbers of Gas Company Nabbed and Detained
Yesterday we reported on the robbery that happened on Monday when two men barged into Southern Choice Butane Limited at mile four on the Philip Goldson Highway and proceeded to rob the pump attendant and the company’s Secretary. After stealing an estimated six thousand dollars, the duo made a ran for it but quick response […]

Paraquat’s Assailant Positively Identified
Police in Orange Walk have also closed in on the homicide case of Carlos ‘Paraquat’ Griffith. Griffith was a homeless man of that municipality who was beaten severely on September 28 after he had refused to give up a stool he was sitting on. It is a disturbing story as residents of the town have […]

PUP Launches Health Sector Reform Proposals
The People’s United Party launched its health reform agenda today at the Independence Hall on Queen Street in Belize City. The event saw the party’s Pickstock Standard Bearer, Dr Francis Smith as the main speaker while the Party Leader did a brief introduction on the issue. FRANCIS FONSECA “We know that sickness, disease and accidents […]

Gardenia Residents Will Soon Have Running Water
Residents of Gardenia Village will soon have access to water. We join Judy Thurton for the details. JUDY TURTON “General Elections are right around the corner, and as you might expect, signs and banners have taken over lamp posts across the country. And of course there has been an increase in infrastructural work. If you […]

Major Jones Says the Magic Is About to Happen in BRN
So, we have told you of the water system being implemented in Gardenia Village in the Belize District while yesterday we brought you the story of electricity being given to residents of Bomba Village. Water in Gardenia and electricity in Bomba have been much needed utilities in those areas and while the villagers are welcoming […]

Former CEO Says Hospital’s Management Is the Problem
The issues in the health sector of Belize has been at the forefront recently. There have been several cases that, at face value, the Government could and in some corners are, being accused of not doing sufficient to improve the sector. With Doctor Alvaro Rosado being the head of the national referral hospital, the Karl […]

Ministry of Health Announces Discounted Implants
Ministry of Health in collaboration with Hiossen Implant Company will be conducting dental implant course for free dental implants by the Belize Dental Department. The course starts on Friday and will continue through to October 17. It will be divided in two parts, theory and practical with the theory part being on October 12 and […]

PlusTV

Hattieville man accused of carnal knowledge of 11 year old
A 29 year old man accused of twice having sexual intercourse with an 11 year old girl, causing her grievous harm, has been remanded to Belize Central Prison. Hattieville resident, Akeem Alexander Allen is two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor 11 years old and one count of grievous h...

SSB negotiations take a bad turn; workers get sick
Today, for the third consecutive day, the Social Security Board workers in all branches across the country used their midday lunch break to picket in front of the SSB offices. In Belmopan, they were lead by their union representative Loerena Flowers, Supervisor in the legal Department at SSB, and...

“Singh was Disingenuous and Prejudicial” says CWU
And just when we thought they were done for today, the Christian Workers Union fired a 3 page press release criticizing the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Social Security Board Dough Singh, for comments made on Monday. The press release says that the CWU, ” in conjunction and in solidar...

Senior Counsel says fees for recent cases are reasonable
Denys Barrow also spoke to the media about his legal fees that Government has had to pay to him for the numerous cases he handles for them on the premise that he is “the best lawyer in Belize”. Such was the statement of his brother, Prime Minister Dean Barrow when questioned about the issue of nepot...

Bar Association’s CCJ resolution is “political,” says Denys Barrow
As we reported last week Thursday, the Bar Association of Belize has made a resolution to apply to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) to join the cross-appeals of the utilities nationalization cases as interested parties. It is not to contest the settlement of the cases – that is just about ...

Police continue to search for Paraquat’s killers
Sometime between Sunday evening and Monday morning last week, a well-known street personality in Orange Walk Town was beaten to a pulp by unknown individuals and left to die. On Monday September 28th , authorities in the north responded to a scene on the Belize Corozal Road, where they found Carlos...

Bus driver read charges for little girl’s death
54 year old Honduran national Jose Rodriguez, a truck driver, has been charged with manslaughter by negligence, causing death by careless conduct and driving without due care and attention in connection with Monday’s road traffic accident on the George Price Highway that claimed the life of 11 year ...

Amandala

The MCC, then and now
Hurricane Greta, on September 18, 1978, destroyed the three main bleachers on the western sidelines. About a decade or so ago, the Guinness and Brodies pavilions were dismantled, and all that remains are broken cement slabs where they once stood. Eventually, a big cement and galvanized pipe framed bleacher was built sometime in the late 1980’s or early 1990’s near the north-east corner of the field; and a couple bleachers were subsequently put on the eastern sideline and one behind the southern goal affectionately known as the “ragamuffin bleachers.” The big bleacher at the north-east corner has no roof, so fans are exposed to the hot sun or rain. One of the two eastern bleachers has a roof, but when the sun dips around game-time at 3:30 or 4:00 p.m., the slanting rays of the sun hit fans directly in their faces, so they scramble onto the upper deck to try and dodge under the roof until they can’t dodge anymore. But the field, which was our saving grace, is now the biggest disappointment.

Football “games,” blunder or sabotage at MCC
There are some strange happenings with football in Belize City. After we have been calling for the lights to be returned to the MCC, big people decided to start digging trenches on Friday, for the laying of electrical wires for the lights. Now, as far as Belize City fans knew, all Premier League of Belize (PLB) Opening Season 2015-2016 games were on schedule for the weekend, which means we were looking forward to BDF vs Belmopan Bandits on Sunday at the MCC. There has been some rumbling going on recently between the PLB and the FFB, and just yesterday we confirmed from a top PLB official, that the season will be put on hold for two weeks to iron things out; the tournament will then resume on the weekend of October 24/25. But the games for this past weekend were not supposed to be affected; or so we thought.

Breaking Belize News

BEL Explains Nationwide Power Interruption
Late last night, BEL issued a press release explaining to the nation why the country experienced nationwide power interruption. According to the release, BEL lost power supply from Mexico’s Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) when that supplier experienced a trip at its Chetumal Substation. “BEL commenced its restoration sequence using […]

Reparations, not aid, for Caribbean people, say CPAN
The chairman of the Caribbean Pan African Network, an organization with members in 17 Caribbean territories, has rejected the notion of a 300 million pound aid package to be offered to the region by British Prime Minister David Cameron, who recently visited Jamaica. What the region needs is […]

Accused murderer walks free
Ronald Bradley, a 22-year-old Mahogany Heights resident has been freed of a murder charge after beating the case with the aid of his attorney, Oscar Selgado, yesterday. Gonzalez was accused of shooting and killing female prison officer, Miriam Gillett, back in October 2010 but he was acquitted when Selgado’s no […]

Errol Haynes sues for unlawful imprisonment
After being locked up in a Mexican prison for more than four years from 2011 to 2015, then being transferred to the Belize Central Prison to serve another three years, 31-year-old Errol Haynes appeared before Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin yesterday, October 6th, represented by attorney, Hubert Elrington who will be […]

Regional ICT development conferences to be held in Belize
A major regional conference on development of information and communication technology is to be held in Belize from November 2 to 6, according to Silicon Caribe. The conference is actually two events in one: a joint meeting of Latin American and Caribbean Internet Addresses Registry (LACNIC) Caribbean on the Move, and the highly […]

PUP releases diplomatic notes over Sarstoon incident to Amandala
In Monday’s issue of the Amandala newspaper, the pair of exchanged diplomatic notes between the Governments of Belize and Guatemala is published. The newspaper says it was given permission by Senator and former Foreign Minister and Ambassador Lisa Shoman to print the notes publicly, but does not say how she obtained them. It cites […]

Dangriga Man arrested for drug trafficking charges
Yesterday morning around 11am, police arrested 35-year-old Randy McNab of Mangrove Street, Dangriga for drug trafficking. According to reports, police were conducting patrol on Mangrove Street, Dangriga when they stopped and searched McNab who had in his possession a black plastic bag containing 163 grams of cannabis. McNab have since […]

Armed robbers caught on tape and caught by cops
Two men wanted in connection for a late night armed robbery of Mr. Yan’s Store in Trial Farm Village have been detained pending arraignment in the Orange Walk Magistrates Court this morning. With the help of the public, authorities managed to identify the two Belize City residents […]

Police bust almost 20 pounds of weed on bus
Early this morning, Benque Viejo Del Carmen Police conducted a search at a routine vehicle-check-point on the George Price Highway that led them to a major drug bust. BMG was made to understand that officers conducted a search on a D&E; Bus heading towards San Ignacio Town. Upon making checks […]

Blogs

Sustainable Development Analysis for Belize
Sustainable development requires an empirical means for understanding its complex relationships. Such devices as symbolism help create a certain mindset appropriate for sustainable development problem-solving. But sustainable development also requires systemic methodologies for assessment and analysis. Critical thinking and creative action implementation are two such methodologies that are invaluable to the seasoned practitioner. Critical thinking is self-guided, self-disciplined thinking which attempts to reason at the highest level of quality and objectivity in a fair-minded way. People who think critically consistently attempt to live rationally and sympathetically. Critical thinking in the context of sustainable development has been described as the artful questioning of the assumptions we make about community. Bob Gibson stated that in a much more comprehensive sense this concept has been characterized as the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action. Critical thinkers are keenly aware of the inherent tendency of human thinking toward bias when left unchecked. They strive to diminish the influence of their egocentric and socio-centric tendencies.

MEN AT WORK: My Favorite Breakfast Spot, Estel’s, Opening Delayed Slightly…
Estel’s Dine by the Sea originally announced TODAY as the opening date…it was apparent when I rolled up yesterday for a sneak preview that would not be the case. If you don’t know Estel’s from visiting the island or the 100 photos of my breakfast that I have posted all over social media or the gushing that has been done by many…here are some quick picks. An old school, feet in the sand diner-by-the-sea (down to the 50s and 60s music that is always playing). Filled with memoraibilia and knick knacks, old signs and paintings, it serves everything from the best fry jacks in Belize to delicious BBQ on weekends. It is also an unofficial San Pedro House of Culture. A landmark. menu It oozes personality and island kitsch…which isn’t even needed with this view. But is very much appreciated.

8 Awesome Family Vacation Activities in Belize
Thanksgiving is fast approaching & families are deciding whether to stay home, visit relatives or head out on a family destination vacation. If you opt for a family vacation you are probably looking for a place that offers plenty of fun and safe activities for the entire family, especially the kids. The culture-rich country of Belize offers numerous family-friendly activities that will keep each member happily occupied during your holiday. Here are our top favourite activities for families: 1. The Belize Zoo, 2. Snorkeling, 3. Horseback riding, 4. Maya Temple Visit, 5. Canoeing, 6. Creatures of the Night Hike, 7. Cave Exploration, 8. Zip lining.

“Something Old, Something New” at Estel’s Dine By the Sea, San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize.
The last thirty days, although I’ve had lots to occupy myself with, have dragged, oh how they have dragged. But the mornings just haven’t been the same. I’ve felt uneasy. Distracted. Not my usual self. “What to do for breakfast?” has been the burning question. This unsettled state of mind all started on 7 September when the harsh reality hit me that Estel’s Dine By the Sea was closed for a month. Yes, a whole month. That day saw the start of my month long tropical depression. Now its not as if Ambergris Caye doesn’t have an abundance (even during ‘low’ or ‘slow’ season) of alternative eateries at which to take breakfast but regular readers will probably have sensed that I’m somewhat of a creature of habit. “I know what I like and I like what I know”. But I couldn’t ‘go’ a month without breakfast so I split my breakfast fix between my favourite alternatives: Lily’s Treasure Chest, Amber Beach Bar & Grill, Blue Water Grill.

POLLO A LA NARANJA
Pasa los pedacitos de pollo por maicena, luego por huevo y después por harina y fríe en abundante aceite caliente hasta que estén dorados. Pon en papel absorbente y reserva.

GORDITAS DE AZUCAR
En Un tazón pones las harinas, el polvo de hornear, azúcar, canela; mezclas, agregar la mantequilla, mezclas hasta que se deshagan los grumos, luego agrega la vainilla, los huevos y finalmente agrega un poquito de leche, solo suficiente para amasar . Hacer bolitas y dejar reposar por unos 10 minutos, esta masa queda bien manejable, hacer con las manos las gorditas, no use rodillo ni tortillera. Después pasar al comal, voltéalas hasta que estén bien cocidas y a disfrutar.

AGUACHILE
Abre los camarones por la mitad en forma de mariposa, desvénalos y ponlos en un refractario; salpimiéntalos. Vierte encima suficiente jugo de limón como para cubrirlos completamente y déjalos reposar durante 30 minutos dentro del refrigerador. Escurre los camarones y agrega encima las rodajas de cebolla morada y tiras de pepino. Licúa juntos la cebolla blanca, chiles serranos, cilantro, ajo, 2 pepinos en trozos, salsa inglesa, consomé granulado y un poco de pimienta.

International Sources

WHAT THE GREAT PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH LOOKS LIKE
Is it an island of trash or just a collection of very small particles? In reality, it is neither. The following images (taken from the Mega Expedition’s mothership) serve to illustrate the different size classes of ocean plastic, as well as their average densities at the center of the North Pacific Gyre.

Privy Council: Guide to its origins, powers and members
The Privy Council dates from the court of the Norman kings, which met in private - hence the description "privy". In those days, it was made up of those appointed by the King or Queen to advise on matters of state. In effect, privy counsellors - which included noblemen, the clergy and officers of the crown - were the chief governing body and fulfilled the role that the Cabinet performs today. In legal terms, the Cabinet is a committee of the Privy Council. In terms of political influence, the Council was perhaps at its most influential in Tudor times - when it had about 40 members and was used by monarchs for a variety of different purposes, both to advise on matters of war and peace and on occasions to circumvent Parliament and the courts. There were separate Privy Councils in England and Scotland prior to the 1707 Act of Union between the two countries.

Pending U.S. Measure Labels 19 Caribbean Territories as Tax Havens
The Caribbean Association of Banks is expressing concern over the inclusion of 19 Caribbean islands and territories on a list of tax havens in the District of Columbia Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Support Act of 2015, which is awaiting approval by the U.S. Congress. The D.C. legislation seeks to expand the definition of tax haven to the detriment of Caribbean territories that are making good faith efforts against tax evasion, the CAB said Wednesday in a statement. “While the CAB fully supports the District of Columbia’s efforts to combat tax evasion, the CAB feels that the designation of Caribbean territories as ‘tax havens’ is prejudicial,” the Castries-based organization said. Because the District of Columbia is federal territory, D.C. legislation must be approved by Congress.

Last chance to see Mayas at World Museum
World Museum in Liverpool invites visitors to see the breath-taking exhibition, Mayas: revelation of an endless time, before it closes on October 18, 2015. The exhibition looks back thousands of years to the Mesoamerican civilisation of the ancient Maya, and Liverpool is the only place to host it in the UK. Since it opened in June this year, World Museum has welcomed more than 230,000 visitors to the free exhibition, and taken them on an illuminating journey to an age of majestic warriors, astronomy and learning, shamanic rituals and human sacrifice. Steve Judd, Director of World Museum said: “It’s a great honour to have Mayas: revelation of an endless time in Liverpool. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see some of the finest archaeological treasures from Mexico, don’t miss it!” The ancient Maya kingdoms stretched from eastern Mexico to modern day Guatemala, Belize and into western Honduras and El Salvador, from 1000BC – AD 1542.

Videos

October 7, 2015

FOR TODAY'S BELIZE WEATHER, CLICK HERE

Click for our Daily Tropical Weather Report.

Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5, LOVETV, PGTV, West Vision (Cayo) and CTV 3
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, Rise and Shine Morning Show, and the Dickie Bradley Specials

The San Pedro Sun

San Pedro Sports Council holds Volleyball Marathon
24 photos

Parasailing in Paradise
Everyone knows we love adventure, I mean that’s no secret, and we’re pretty sure you do too! In fact, that might be the very reason you’re actually in Belize. When it comes to making the most of your stay, we know that’s serious business! So we have got you covered! As usual, we’re in a constant effort to cover as much of The Jewel as possible when we seek out activities that you’ll enjoy just as much as we do! Our latest adventure took us about 600 feet above ground (yikes), and man oh man did it get our adrenaline pumping! We’re talking parasailing with CastAway Caye Water Sports on Ambergris Caye. Janelle and I were looking for adventure and we sure found that and a whole lot more with these guys! Tevin got the couple strapped into the parasail seats and before you knew it the colorful parachute goes up, up and away!

2015 Conch Season is open!
The 2015/2016 regular conch season of the Queen Conch (Strombus gigas) officially opened as of Thursday, October 1st in Belize. Conch harvesting generates over millions of dollars annually into the country’s Fisheries Industry, which is a significant source of revenue for traditional fishermen. The season will run from October 1st until June 30th of the following year. Last year the total revenue generated for Queen Conch was $8.87 million dollars, with a production of approximately 723,121 pounds. This total includes market clean conch and fillet conch. These figures revealed that revenue and production greatly were reduced when compared to last year, when production surpassed a million pounds and generated over $10 million dollars in revenue. It was estimated that around 10% of the conch harvested was consumed locally, following the mandatory law that 5% must stay in Belize.

Sargassum Seaweed: the golden rainforest of the sea!
So the Sargassum seaweed is upon us, in fact it’s been here for quite a while now. And truthfully there’s really no indication of just when the influx of seaweed will halt. We know that the smelly mounds are not the neatest beach accessory, and it certainly puts a damper on sunbathing and dips in our lovely Caribbean Sea. But you see the thing is, it’s not just our little island town. In fact, much of the Caribbean region is being affected and popular Mexican vacation destinations as well. Several times daily, mounds of the large masses wash ashore and settle on our beaches. While our hoteliers, town councilmen, and volunteer groups work hard to remove as much of the seaweed as possible. It’s a natural phenomenon, so that means there really is no way to stop the course of nature. Although it is easy for both residents and travelers to view Sargassum as a nuisance, until local and regional research provide us ( the Caribbean, not just Belize) with methods to effectively live with the pesky weed, (or the tides change) let us appreciate the many ecological benefits of our floating visitor.

Mahogany Bay celebrates the Great House’s top-off
One of the largest developments on Ambergris Caye, Mahogany Bay Village, is taking monumental steps at constructing a unique resort that encompasses the best of the Belizean community. As such, a top-off ceremony was held on Thursday, October 1st to celebrate the construction of Mahogany Bay’s Great House. The top-off ceremony saw the last beam being placed on the roof of the building; a construction milestone that is commonly celebrated for important structures. The event was held by the Mahogany Bay Team with the hopes of strengthening and promoting a healthy relationship between the developers and the community. The Great House is to be the largest wooden building on the island, with 16,000 square feet of space. The two story building will also be the focal point of Mahogany Bay Village, with a capacity to hold 500 person per floor. It is expected to house two restaurants and bars and serves as the perfect venue for conferences and every type of banquet and private events. The Great House is being built and designed to emulate the old colonial feel of the old Belize while providing the luxurious amenities of this century.

Halloween Parties to Look Out For
Every year there are several parties that get thrown for Halloween but the most anticipated is definitely The Holiday Hotel Halloween Party. Every year, hundreds of islanders sport their best costumes in hopes of winning over the judges and ultimately scoring cash prizes, cool give aways and best of all BRAGGING RIGHTS! There are several winning categories including: most original, scariest,best group and more. So start thinking of those costumes and get ready to attend the ultimate monster bash! Senor Marlin’s sports bar also knows how to keep spirits high, while not as big as Holiday’s showdown, this is also one of those parties you don’t want to miss! DJ’s keep the music pumpin’ all night, and there are prizes for the best costumes as well- so yes, dress to impress J For our four-legged friends, we can’t forget you furry and shelled cuties! The Saga Humane Society hosts an annual Halloween Costume Competition, and let’s just say we can’t enough of our cute doggy-pumpkins and scuba divers that show up, to the that cake - biscuit!

Ambergris Today

Red Cross Encourages Business Listing of Defibrillators
Cardiac Arrhythmia – a sudden irregular heartbeat – can kill! When a person’s heart suddenly starts beating too fast or with a chaotic rhythm, this can lead to death. The heart’s beat must be reset. In such an emergency, swift action is essential. An Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) –used within the first 3 to 5 minutes after a person collapses can save the person’s life by resetting the heartbeat to a normal rhythm. This means an AED must be visible and accessible. The Belize Red Cross San - Pedro Branch asks your assistance in developing a list of the Automatic External Defibrillators located on the island. If you, your business or work place has an AED, please let the Red Cross know its location. It could save someone’s life! Please contact [email protected] to get your Automatic External Defibrillator on the Red Cross’s Ambergris Caye location list.

First See N Taste Belize Event Coming up in Florida
The Consulate of Belize, along with the Special Envoy for Women and Children, spearheaded by Mrs. Kim Simplis Barrow, spouse of the Prime Minister of Belize, is hosting the first See N Taste Belize, in partnership with the Belize Tourism Board (BTB), BELTRAIDE, Flavors of Belize and Florida International University School of Hospitality and Tourism. The upcoming See N Taste Belize is taking place on Saturday, October 10, to raise funds for the first dedicated Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) in Belize. Mrs. Barrow has dedicated her life to helping the children of Belize and through her efforts, the Inspiration Center opened its doors in 2014 to finally address the needs of children with special needs. The building of the first dedicated PICU in Belize will bridge a significant gap in Belize's health care system and will play an important role in the country's development. Most importantly, by establishing a NICU/PICU, the hope is to help our desperately ill children by reducing the mortality and morbidity rate while offering long-term monitoring and rehabilitation services to children with various deficits through referrals.

Misc Belizean Sources

Another Successful Blood Drive Hosted by Belize Red Cross - San Pedro Branch with Collaboration from The San Pedro Cancer Society
The Belize Red Cross – San Pedro Branch (BRCSP) held another successful blood drive on Saturday, October 3rd, 2015 with many community members turning out to donate blood at the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II, Manta Ray St., San Pedro. Community volunteers helped make the process go smoothly as they took their places as greeters at the door, handing out juice and cookies, directing traffic and collecting donations on the street. A healthy turn out of willing donors from 9:00am - 7:00pm donating blood kept the clinic busy all day. The BRCSP branch was able to collect 34 pints of blood for the San Pedro blood reserve to be held at the Belize Blood Bank, Belize City. The monetary donations given on the street of just over $300 will benefit both BRCSP to further the community programs and The San Pedro Cancer Society. Working with the Belize Blood Transfusion Services Group with their enthusiasm and professionalism is always a positive experience.

San Pedro Tiger Sharks in the COCABA Champions League of the Americas
Mayor Daniel Guerrero, the San Pedro Town Council and Staff would like to congratulate and wish the best of luck to the San Pedro Tiger Sharks whom will be participating in the COCABA Champions League of the Americas 2016. The Tournament will be held in El Salvador, from October 21-October 25, 2015. The tournament will include the league champions from Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. Go Tiger Sharks!

New Peace Corps Volunteers
The swearing in ceremony for the new group of Peace Corps volunteers was held at the San Ignacio Resort Hotel last week. Welcome! "Last Thursday, 150 Belizeans and Americans gathered in the conference center at the San Ignacio Hotel, to witness the swearing in of 17 new Peace Corps Volunteers. Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education, Youth & Sports representatives, including Dr. Ramon Figueroa, Director of Health Services and Dr. Carol Babb, Deputy Chief Education Officer, as well as District Health Educators, District Education Managers, Community Health Workers, Teachers, and Principals joined the U.S. Ambassador Carlos Moreno, community counterparts, training host families, Peace Corps staff, and members of the US diplomatic corps to witness the event and celebrate the milestone. "

This is not cool watching the kids of Holy Cross walking in the water
There are a lot of priorities that need to be set by our town leaders, this being one of them. School children of Holy Cross balance on fence and use step ladder to make it to school as rains flood swampy areas leading to school complex.

Power interruption 9:00am to 3:00pm, Thursday, October 8, Belize City
Area on Central American Blvd between Fabers Rd and Caesar Ridge Rd including Trinity St, Unity St, Freedom St, Jabiru St, Mud St, Fonseca St, Rivas St, Toledo St, Curl Thompson St, Jane Usher Blvd, Heron St, Swallow St, Butterfly St, Levi Slusher St, Allan Pitts Crescent, T St, Gill St, Reggae St, Kraal Rd, Guerrero St, Ross Pen Rd, Baracat St, Fabers Rd, Sanker St, Nurse Findley Crescent & Fabers Rd Ext including Baldwin Dr, Custard Apple St, McVille Rd, Rio Grande Crescent, Madam Liz Ave, Singh St, Jimmy Dyer Ave, Neat & Clean St, Milpa Dr, Swanka Ln and Whistling Duck St. BEL to replace utility poles carrying high voltage lines on Central American Boulevard and Caesar Ridge Road.

Benque's 111th Anniversary
Happy birthday Benque! 111 years young. The Benque HoC is celebrating in style with a concert, and Panerrifix, and El Buki, will be there. It'll happen on Saturday the 17th, at 7:30pm.

BAFFU Vol 6
The 6th edition of BAFFU Magazine is out.

Channel 7

11 Year Old Knocked Down And Killed Getting Of School bus
An 11 year old student of St. Matthews Government School was knocked down yesterday after 3:00. Tezzrah Diamond Thompson came off the bus with her schoolmates at the entrance of Mahogany Heights. But when she emerged from in front of the bus to cross the road she was hit by a truck. It's a truly tragic story and today we went to speak with Tezzrah's grandmother and she told us that she was coming from work when she saw her granddaughter thrown on the side of the road. Courtney Weatherburne reporting This was Tezzrah's favorite song. She would perform her version of that song almost every day after school for her grandmother. But yesterday she didn't make it home to serenade her grandmother. Instead her grandmother found her mangled body on the side of the road. Linda Williams, Grandmother "I was coming from school yesterday in the evening about 3:30, in our school bus when I saw a crowd at the junction for Mahogany Heights and when I took a look I saw a child, but when I look at the shoulder I realize that it's my granddaughter's shoulder. I said "God," I said mercy, please don't tell me that it's my granddaughter. I said please, please, tell me it's not my granddaughter. But then when the bus slowed down I took another look and I realized that it was my granddaughter and her face was covered with blood."

COLA Goes Political
COLA is always on the news, agitating for one social issue or the other. And, indeed, that's what COLA is: a pressure group. But, recently, the grassroots organization has started to take a more political tone with its "Build the Base Now" campaign. And, today, COLA went all the way: President Geovannie Brackett announced a decision to actively campaign against Wilfred Elrington. They want to get Elrington voted out of the Pickstock constituency which they say is a pressure tactic on the incumbent UDP on issues such as the ICJ, the Belize-Guatemalan Territorial Dispute, and the planned Sarstoon Forward Operating Base. This morning, we caught up with President Geovannie Brackett at the Queen Street Police Station, where he had gone to get a permit to hold a public meeting with potential Pickstock voters. He explained his organization's decision to get directly involved with politics:

Criminals Caught On Camera, and Caught In Real Life
Orange Walk police have located and charged two men who were caught on security camera robbing a Chinese store in Orange Walk. They are Jarett Crawford - who was in the store with a knapsack - and Albert Wagner - the reported gunman. As we reported the men were caught on camera as they robbed Yan Store at the entrance of Trial Farm Village on Saturday night at 9:45. They entered casually without masks, and Crawford - allegedly the man with the knapsack bought pack of gum and a cigarette and lit it up - before he went into position behind the counter. At a few minutes to 10:00, the man who police say is Wagner pulled out a pistol and robbed the store. Both suspects are from Belize City and Crawford is linked to Taylor's Alley. He was recently charged in connection with the First Caribbean armed robbery. Now, they are in custody of Orange Walk police and will be taken to court tomorrow to be charged for robbery.

SSB Workers Use Lunch Hour To Protest Again
Today was another day of protest for SSB workers: in Belize City, a group of 19 stood with their placards in front of the branch office again during their lunch break. According to CWU President Audrey Matura Shepherd, they will continue to protest until they get their compensation. When we spoke to Chairman of the Board Doug Singh, he said that management stated its position already that it does not agree with the workers on the compensation. Both sides will hold a meeting tomorrow concerning the CBA. Shepherd told us that sometime after that they will organize a press briefing.

Man Gets Off Murder After 5 Years
Tonight another city youth has walked from a murder at the end of a trial by judge without jury - this one before Supreme Court judge, Justice Troadio John Gonzalez. 24 year old Ronald Bradley, a resident of Mahogany Heights was accused of the October 15, 2010 shooting murder of female Prison Officer, Miriam Gillett. This morning Justice Gonzalez, he upheld a no case submission made by Bradley's attorney, Oscar Selgado. With that, JUSTICE Gonzalez acquitted Bradley of murder and he was free to leave the court after almost five years on remand. The sole witness in the prosecution case was the driver Ernest Savery, and even though he was killed before the case was called up for trial - his statement was admitted into evidence. Still Selgado made a no case submission that there was insufficient evidence.

An Expensive Legal Expedition
Viewers may remember Dr. Abigail McKay, she was a Dean at the University of Belize who's 3 year employment ended when the then President refused to grant her a 2 year extension. She believed that she was entitled to a 5-year extension and in 2014, she sued the University. Justice Courtney Abel granted her permission to bring her case for judicial review against UB. She never got her chance to bring her full case, because shortly after that, the University, represented by Denys Barrow, applied to the Court of Appeal to challenge the decision of the Supreme Court. That case came up before the Court of Appeal where Barrow, and McKay's attorney, Audrey Matura-Shepherd, tried to convince the panel of judges why the case should or should not be struck out. After about 2 hours of presentation, the Court of Appeal agreed with Barrow and ruled that McKay's lawsuit should end. It's a victory for UB, and possibly the end of McKay's legal fight. We spoke with the attorneys for both sides, and here's what they had to say:

Brother Barrow Says He Got Paid, Not Overpaid
Another issue we took the opportunity to ask Barrow about was the accusation from the Opposition that the Barrow Government has supposedly overpaid Denys Barrow for his services. As you will have noticed, he is the Government's lead attorney on many of the cases that go to the high courts. Recently, an opposition ad started circulating on Social Media which discloses the sum of money that they Government paid Denys Barrow for handling the case of the Palencia and Paranga cargo ships. Viewers may remember that the Paranga ran aground on the reef, 2 miles south east of English Caye in 2012. Last year, The Government detained the Palencia Cargo Ship, and held it in Belizean waters until the owners, who also are in charge of the Paranga, paid the environmental fine, which amounted to 2.7 million dollars. For his legal work in getting the payment, Denys Barrow was paid just over a half a million dollars, which represented 20%. The PUP used that internal memo from the Ministry of Finance, to suggest that brother Barrow cashed in at the public's expense.

Bar Assoc. Will Apply To CCJ, Barrow Says It Shouldn't
Last week Thursday, we told you how the Bar Association of Belize, by majority vote of its members, passed a resolution to make a most unusual application to the Caribbean Court of Justice. They want the court to give a decision on the eighth amendment to the constitution - even though both parties that brought the case challenging the amendment have settled and told the court - basically - that they want no further action. Denys Barrow doesn't agree with his bar colleagues. He attended that Wednesday night meeting and tried to convince the membership that this is an unwise course of action. But, despite his best efforts, he was outvoted, and the resolution passed. So, today, when he had the opportunity, we asked Barrow why the bar was wrong. Here's what he had to say: Denys Barrow, Attorney for GOB "The parties, the former shareholders of BTL, the former shareholders of BEL and the Government of Belize have agreed that the case is finished. Money has been paid, the property which has been taken away has been paid for and the parties have agreed that the case should finish. The Bar Association passed a resolution last week deciding that the Bar Association will make an application to the CCJ in this case which the parties have settled concerning all the nationalizations. The Bar wants the CCJ to still give a decision notwithstanding that the case has been settled."

Errol Haynes Is Back in Belize, Back In Jail, Wants Freedom
Errol "Butchie" Haynes - the last time his name made news was in 2011 - when he was caught in Mexico with an arsenal of prohibited firearms and ammunition. Well, unknown to us, the 31 year old was returned to Belize in May of 2015 - and now he says he is being unlawfullly held at the Belize Central Prison on a conviction for drug trafficking and possession. Haynes says there is no evidence for the conviction, and so his attorney Hubert Elrington today launched a habeas corpus application before Chief Justice, Kenneth Benjamin. Haynes says when he was released from a Mexican prison and arrived in Belize, he was handcuffed and locked up at the Kolbe Foundation to serve out a 3 year conviction. According to court records, on October 4, 2013, he was convicted in the Belize City Magistrate's Court before Senior Magistrate, Sharon Fraser on one count of drug trafficking and one count of possession of controlled drugs.

On The Campaign Trail In Caribbean Shores
The General Election is only 29 days, and, right now, all across the country, politicians are scrambling to connect with voters. We'll be previewing a few battleground divisions over the next four weeks and we start in Caribbean Shores where there are two new candidates with distinguished political and professional pedigree. Kareem Musa and Darrell Bradley are both young attorneys and both first time general election candidates. We caught up with Musa yesterday while he and his team were campaigning on Baymen Avenue: Kareem Musa, PUP Standard Bearer - Caribbean Shores "Today Daniel was our last fail preparations for the campaign leading up to the general elections on November 4th which is only one month away. But I can tell you that since June of last year, over a year and a half, this team has been on the ground campaigning in Caribbean Shores. We have hit the streets running from since then and we haven't turned back. So this is now just the final preparations and we are fully confident. All our members are excited. The energy level is extremely high right now and we will deliver Caribbean Shores to the People's United Party."

Calling Fleet Footed Kids
The second annual national track and field championship will be happening on the 14th and 15th of November and the Belize athletics association is inviting track athletes from across the country 16 years and older to be a part of the event. According to the president Deon Sutherland - it is a way for these athletes to showcase their talent while competing against their peers. Registration forms can be obtained from and returned to the BAA via email at [email protected] or from the association Facebook page. Forms must be submitted by November 11 and cost of registration is 10$ per athlete.

A Fair Share of Green Climate Fund
A regional workshop for the Green Climate Fund started today at the Radisson in Belize City. The Fund is to sponsor adaptive measures for climate change - but small island developing states - known as SIDS - which are most vulnerable to climate change have hardly been getting anything form this fund. That's what the meeting is about the Minister Joy Grant outlined it in her opening:... The workshop finishes on Thursday.

St. Mary's Says Not So to "Ma Banks"
In last night's newscast we reported on Darren Banks 8 year old son who is currently out of school and is living with his grandmother. In an interview the elderly woman explained that child is out of school because she is in the process of moving him to another primary school but cannot afford his transfer document from St Mary's Anglican school - the last school he was attending. Today the school sent out a press release denying withholding the transfer forms. The release stated that its administration released the transfer documents for the student on September 18th 2015 to the child's guardian.

Taiwanese Doctors Visit
A team of medical volunteers from Taiwan are in Belize at the KHMH. They include Dr. Chen a nephrologist - who said that diabetes is a concern:... The team includes three doctors and also includes an ear, nose and throat specialist. They will be here - at the KHMH - until Thursday.

Channel 5

Deny Barrow Says GOB MUST Pay Arbitration Award…Regardless of Amount
In 2009, the Government of Belize seized control of B.T.L. and when a court ruling found the nationalization to be null and void, Government renationalized the company in 2011.  Now…weeks [...]

He Says Legal Fees Aren’t Exorbitant
Denys Barrow, who is the brother of Prime Minister Dean Barrow, has also been a target in the Opposition People’s United Party’s campaign. The P.U.P. says that he has been [...]

Barrow Says the PM Got Scared So His Fees for Settlements Were Reduced
T he negative campaign has focused on one particular instance in which Denys Barrow’s law firm was paid over five hundred and twenty-four thousand dollars for its role in a [...]

Student Killed As She Got Off Bus at Mahogany Heights
A family grieves tonight the tragic loss of one of their own. Eleven-year-old school girl, Tezzrah Thompson, was hit by a delivery truck when she exited a school bus at [...]

Robbers Escape With Bounty from Southern Choice Butane
A gas station was robbed in broad daylight, on Monday morning for which three men have been detained. The brazen robbery occurred at Southern Choice Butane Limited located at Mile [...]

Bar Association applies to C.C.J. to release its decisions on the nationalizations of B.E.L. and B.T.L.
In an unprecedented move last week, the Bar Association has applied to the Caribbean Court of Justice to release its decisions on the nationalizations of B.E.L. and B.T.L.  Both matters [...]

Denys Barrow Calls Bar Resolution “Outrageous” and “Political”
The Bar has determined that the decision, whatever it is, speaks to the legality of the much debated Eighth Amendment, and they say it is a matter of public interest [...]

Errol Haynes Sues for Unlawful Imprisonment
Thirty-one year old Errol Haynes appeared briefly in court today before the Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin. He is suing the Commissioner of Police, Superintendent of Prison and the Attorney General [...]

Court Upholds Appeal by UB Board of Trustees
Today, the Court of Appeal wasted no time in upholding an appeal by the University of Belize’s Board of Trustees. The matter before the panel was the Supreme Court’s decision [...]

Another Youth Walks on Murder Charge
Tonight, another Belize City youth is free of murder. At the conclusion of a trial by judge without jury before Justice Troadio Gonzalez, twenty-two year old Ronald Bradley, a resident [...]

COLA Calls Public Meeting in Pickstock – Says Sedi Must Go
A public meeting organized by COLA is set for Thursday night in Belize City.  The venue, a parking lot adjacent to the Pickstock Hutment on New Road, was once part [...]

COLA Refutes Speculation on Political Affiliation
As we’ve mentioned, COLA insists that it is not politically aligned with any of the mass parties; it is nonetheless, a question that continues to rear its head in the [...]

Belize Progressive Party Wants FM Elrington Removed
Patrick Rogers may have been a little slow in publicly responding to Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington’s address to the UN General Assembly.  The B.P.P.’s tardiness, however, does not take away [...]

Rogers Running Against Sedi in Pickstock
So, Rogers is offering himself as the third party candidate in Pickstock.  He says his campaign budget is in the area of fifty thousand dollars, but is it enough to [...]

Gang Member from El Salvador Nabbed in Belize
An ex-eighteen street gang member from El Salvador was nabbed in Belize two Sundays ago by Orange Walk Police. Twenty-three year old Carlos Enrique Alvarado Lopez is wanted by Interpol [...]

Two Men Caught on Surveillance Tape Nabbed by Police
On Monday’s newscast we showed you the telling surveillance video of two brazen robbers, who entered a grocery store in Trial Farm, Orange Walk barefaced and robbed the proprietors of [...]

PUP Says It Will Hold Massive Consultation on ICJ
The referendum for Belizeans to decide on whether the issue of the unfounded Guatemalan claim should go before the International Court of Justice, in The Hague, for resolution continues at [...]

Former Foreign Minister Lisa Shoman Says Her Successor Has Messed Up
Is the political quagmire that Belize presently finds itself in with Guatemala made worse by the foreign minister’s apparent lack of personality?  It’s a question that was posed to his [...]

CTV3

JICA Volunteer Promotes Civic Pride In Corozal
JICA or The Japan International Cooperation Agency is a governmental agency that coordinates official development assistance for the government of Japan. It is chartered with assisting economic and social growth in developing countries. In Belize there are 20 JICA volunteers shared equally in every district. These volunteers provide Health and Environmental Awareness, technical medical support, sports and education assistance just to name a few. Yasuke Masuda, a JICA volunteer in Corozal, is keeping his end of the bargain when it comes to environmental awareness. Masuda saw the need to educate the public about the damage littering can cause and immediately liaised with his colleagues and together they started a country wide campaign against littering. The campaign is in its early stages but it has been fruitful.

Belize City Men Charged For Robbery At Yan's Store
Yesterday we showed you surveillance footage of a brazen armed robbery at Yan’s Store in Trial Farm Village on Saturday night. As mentioned authorities sought the assistance of the general public to identify the armed men and today we are happy to report that both criminals have been identified and are in police custody. From what we have been able to gather, one of the men, who carried the knapsack, was found in Belize City and is a known run man, according to police. He has since been identified as Jarreth Crawford. The male brandishing the handgun has been identified as Albert Wagner.

Man's Past Lead Him To Drug Trafficking Charge
A man from the Corozal District has been arrested and charged for drug trafficking after police conducted a search at his residence. He is no other than 49 year old Wilbert Pedro Hernandez, Belizean businessman of #10 Narcist Street, Altamira area, Corozal Town. Hernandez’s home was searched yesterday at around 7:10p.m and there police found a black plastic bag containing 118 grams of Cannabis. CTV3 News understand that Hernandez appeared before the Corozal Magistrates Court this morning to answer to the charge of drug trafficking but instead of pleading guilty to that charge he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of possession of controlled drugs. But because Hernandez has had prior convictions of the same nature his plea was not accepted and was charged for drug trafficking. He was offered bail of $1,000 which he met. His next court date will be on the 22nd of December 2015.

Fonseca Tells Belizeans To Vote For Sovereignty On Election Day
As we told you at the top of the newscast yesterday the PUP held a press conference where they lashed out at the Minister of Foreign Affairs Wilfred Elrington for his comments made in reference to the Belize/Guatemala Territorial dispute at the UN. In sight that we are in the election season the media asked PUP Leader Francis Fonseca if they were taking advantage of the situation since the party is well aware how passionate Belizeans are about the long standing dispute. But according to Fonseca, their addressing the matter is no part of politicking but rather an issue of concern for Belize’s future. He did however, ask that the Belizean public take this matter into deep consideration when at the polls on November fourth. “But for us this is a matter of national concern, national security, but, as you know, I have said it consistently, the first duty and obligation of any government is the preservation of the nation state, the protection and defense of our territorial integrity, our national sovereignty. So we have an absolute obligation to raise this matter and of course we were provoked to do so by the absolutely outrageous statements of the foreign minister on our behalf as a country and people on Friday at the United Nations on the world stage, making these absolute blunders before the world on behalf of the Belizean people. So that is the first important point but I certainly will make no apologies for saying to the Belizean people that on November fourth this is an absolutely important consideration for each and every citizen of this country going into the voting booth to mark your x. You must understand, you must understand and appreciate fully the consequences of that vote as it relates to this very, very important issue.”

COLA Launches Anti-Sedi Campaign
Since his twenty minute climate change presentation at the United Nations General Assembly on Friday, Foreign Affairs Minister and Pickstock Standard Bearer, Wilfred Elrington, has once again come under serious criticism for his role in the unresolved Belize-Guatemala territorial dispute. And today, that “Anti-Sedi” campaign was stepped up a notch as the Citizens Organized for Liberty through Action (COLA) wants the Pickstock electorate to take away the Attorney General and lately Minister of Foreign Affairs’ seat in the House of Representatives in the November 4 general elections from Elringhton. But how do they plan on executing such a feat? COLA’s President, Giovanni Brackett, says a public meeting will be organized to educate the electorate… “If you notice we have never sat in any political party when they have their press conference not even the BPP to endorse anybody because we are not here to endorse a political party and the leader of the BPP is a very close friend of mine and a founding member of COLA that is where we stand but when you have somebody that is playing around with the 8867 square miles of our country it leaves us with no other choice but to defend and what do you expect us to do sit back and allow the foreign minister to become another minister again to and he is hell been going to the ICJ, if he gets reelected it is a stamp of approval that they will take that we already want to go to the ICJ this is our last resort and so it is not for us to endorse a political party but it is a form of our protest to state our position in the strongest way that we can right now.”

Son-In-Law Of Senior Citizen Charged By Police For Sexual Assault
On Friday night we told you about the disturbing incident that occurred in San Joaquin Village Corozal District where a 77 year old senior citizen accused her son-in-law of sexual assault. According to the 77 year old woman, on the 1st of October while she was in front of her house in her wheelchair she was approached by her son-in-law who took her inside her house and sexually assaulted her. Since the report was filed Police arrested and charged a 54 year old Guatemalan national for the crime of harm and sexual assault.

LOVE FM

PM Chooses Not to Cut His Brother in On Legal Fees with Fortis and BTL
Senior Counsel Denys Barrow is not only the attorney for the Government of Belize but also the brother of Prime Minister Dean Barrow. In that regard, the People’s United Party and other activist groups have accused the Prime Minister of nepotism and points to the millions of dollars in legal fees for the years he […]

Court of Appeal Overturns Ruling in Mckay vs UB
In 2013, former Dean of the University of Belize, Abigail McKay filed a claim in the courts suing the University, its president, provost and the Human Resource Director. McKay’s contract was not renewed or extended but she insisted that the UB’s Faculty and Staff Handbook provided for her contract to be extended by at least […]

DiCaprio Expected in Belize to Discuss Development of Blackadore Caye
Movie star Leonardo DiCaprio and his investment team is expected to arrive in Belize in the next couple weeks to forward DiCaprio’s idea as it relates to Blackadore Caye which he owns. He plans to restore the island which is basically eroding. DiCaprio plans to build 68 guest villas that will have access to nearly […]

SSB Chairman Says Requests from Workers Are Unreasonable
Yesterday we told you of the uniform issue that the workers at the Social Security Board have expressed via the Christian Workers Union. Their issue is that the SSB has not provided them with new uniforms within the 18-month period as was indicated in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. In an act of protest, the workers […]

Credit Union GM and Gas Company Robbed in Separate Incidents
A San Ignacio man was robbed at gunpoint whilst getting into his vehicle over the weekend. The report did not come in through the police blotter but we did find out that Raymond Tzul who is the General Manager of the Saint Martin’s Credit Union located in San Ignacio, Cayo District was the victim. Reports […]

Operations Yield Marijuana in Placencia and Corozal
Corozal police did a house raid last night in that municipality on Narciso Street in the Altamira Area. That search resulted in the discovery of one hundred and eighteen grams of marijuana. Subsequently, 49-year-old businessman, Wilbert Pedro Hernandez was arrested and charged with drug trafficking. Police, this time on the Placencia peninsula, also conducted an […]

History of Corozal Bay Division
In an effort to continue fulfilling our mandate to educate and inform, we join Renee Trujillo for a brief history of the Corozal Bay division, one of the thirty one electoral constituencies in Belize. RENEE TRUJILLO REPORTING “There are six thousand seven hundred and thirty eight voters registered as at September 2015 in the Corozal […]

PlusTV

Regional standards organization meets in Belize
Belize this week is hosting the Bi-Annual General Meeting of the Caribbean Regional Organization of Standards and Qualities (CROSQ). It is an organization of 15 departments of standards across the Caribbean that set policies and practices for harmonizing standards and quality in the region. Belize i...

UB wins appeal against former Dean in court
The Court of Appeal today heard an appeal from the University of Belize against Dr. Abigail McKay, a former dean of the University who sued several senior officials including former president Dr. Carey Fraser and human resources director Hertha Gentle, who had decided not to extend her employment co...

Orange Walk Robbers caught on Camera
There was also a robbery in Trial Farm, Orange Walk Town on Saturday October 3rd. Yan’s store, located at the entrance of Trial Farm, was robbed at gunpoint by two individuals who walked into the store under the pretense that they were there to purchase goods from the store. While one pointed the g...

Police continue investigation into Carlos Paraguat’s murder
Sometime between Sunday evening and Monday morning last week, a well-known street personality in Orange Walk Town was beaten to a pulp by unknown individuals and left to die. On Monday September 28th , authorities in the north responded to a scene on the Belize Corozal Road, where they found Carlos...

Gas Station employees robbed
Workers of a gas station were held up and robbed. On Monday the 5th of October at about 11:00am, a pump attendant of Southern Choice Butane Ltd, Belize City, was talking with the secretary. While the two were conversing, two male persons walked into the store stating that they wanted gas service. ...

COLA campaigns against Foreign Minister
Citizens Organized for Liberty through Action (COLA) says that for the first time, it is entering electoral politics in Belize. But their target is a familiar one, Pickstock area representative Wilfred Elrington, a two-term representative. Put simply, COLA wants Pickstock voters to take away the Min...

Patrick Andrews comments on Jose Chacon’s move to the UDP
Yesterday we told you about Jose Chacon’s sudden switch from the People’s United Party to the United Democratic Party some 30 days before the general elections. Chacon, who in March of this year ran as the PUP Mayoral candidate and lost to now UDP Mayor Khalid Belisle, announced via a UDP Press rele...

Amandala

Compton Fairweather challenges The Reporter
Belizeans head to the polls on November 4 to elect a national government, one year and six months before elections are due, and the one issue that continues to remain prominent in the national consciousness is the unfounded claim of Guatemala to half of our territory. Compton Fairweather, a pioneer and patriot who was given the Order of Belize in 2009 for his service to the Belizean community in New York, appeared on KREM’s Sunday Review this past Sunday, and took serious issue with the editorial for this week’s The Reporter newspaper, of Sunday, October 4, 2015, accusing it of giving “comfort to the enemy.” The Reporter is owned and published by Harry Lawrence, who, in 2011, was appointed Ambassador to the Vatican by the ruling United Democratic Party. The newspaper currently has a vacancy for an editor. “The contents of this editorial can easily be used by hardliners in Guatemala who could claim: ‘Look, even one of their leading papers is saying that Belize would be aggressing Guatemala if the forwarding base is built in that area,’” Fairweather said.

Champion Recruit of Police Squad 89 dies at KHMH
Woman Police Officer Shanique Roca Terry, who graduated as Champion Recruit in Police Recruit Squad 89 and was presented with a Baton of Honor during graduation ceremonies in October 2013, died of complications at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital at about 4:00 Saturday morning, and her angry family members are claiming that her death is the result of negligence on the part of the hospital. Prior to her death, WPC Terry had written on Facebook that since the birth of her son, who was born on June 24, she had been in and out of the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH), in Belize City, and Northern Regional Hospital in Orange Walk. Terry reported that she had been diagnosed with a variety of illnesses – pulmonary edema, cardiomyopathy, vein thrombosis, enlarged liver and pulmonary and thromboembolism. She had reportedly been suffering from an enlarged heart which led to her liver working overtime, and in the process, she had developed blood clots in her lungs and in two major veins.

Guatemalan human trafficker charged
Guatemalan Fran Walder Lopez Portillo, 22, a bus driver of Barrio Santa Elena, Melchor de Mencos, Peten, Guatemala, was arrested and charged with 11 counts of human smuggling. He pleaded guilty to the charges at the Orange Walk Magistrate’s Court on Friday and he was fined $11,000, to be paid immediately, and in default, 66 months in jail. Portillo has not been able to pay the fine, and has since been remanded to the Belize Central Prison, where he will begin to serve his 5-year-6-month jail sentence. The 11 persons he was accused of smuggling were 11 Salvadorans, two of whom were minors, aged 15 and 5 years. The two minors were handed over to the Department of Human Services, where they will be kept to be handed over to the Salvador Embassy, which will return the boys to their country.

Guatemala’s “bad intentions” exposed!
The following diplomatic notes–the first from the Belize Government to the Government of Guatemala, and the second, a response from the Guatemalan Government to the Belize Government–came to Amandala today, courtesy Senator Lisa Shoman, former Foreign Minister 2007-2008, permanent representative to the OAS and Ambassador to the United States during the PUP administration of Prime Minister Said Musa. We have her permission to publish the diplomatic notes for the edification of the Belizean public, whom have been denied access to the notes by Prime Minister Dean Barrow and Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington on the excuse that the observance of “diplomatic protocol” prevented them from doing so. We need to point out that the Hon. Philip Goldson, in April 1968, returned with the infamous Webster’s 17 Proposals that was handed to Belizean officials in the form of a draft treaty at the UK Embassy in Washington, DC. Goldson did not waste any time in informing the Belizean people of the horrible plot against Belize by the British government.

UB staff and faculty want 14% salary increase
What do Belize Electricity Ltd. (BEL), Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH), the University of Belize (UB) and Social Security Board (SSB) have in common? Disgruntled workers of all these institutions have expressed their discontent with certain aspects of the terms of their employment, and have taken steps to push their government-based employers to meet their demands. As Amandala readers will recall, in September, KHMH staff successfully reached an agreement with the KHMH board of governors and the Government of Belize for a salary increase of 14%. These readers will also recall that in our October 4 edition, it was reported that after months of negotiations, the Minister of Labour Godwin Hulse, acting as mediator, was able to establish a settlement between the Belize Energy Workers Union representing the BEL employees and the BEL management. BEL staff will be getting a 1.75% yearly across-the-board salary increase for the next four years, with effect from this year, 2015.

Editorial: No one cares
The United Democratic Party (UDP) administration’s record in Belize City sports is poor. In fact, we would go so far as to say that it is a very poor record indeed. Under their weird National Sports Council, the MCC Garden has been violated repeatedly for years, and said MCC has now been without lighting for months. The Civic was torn down years ago, and since then the old capital has heard many beautiful promises. Promises, is all. When the UDP came to power in February of 2008, hundreds and hundreds of citizens used to exercise morning and evening at the National Stadium. Soon enough, the UDP closed the gates of the stadium, and when people still tried to get in to exercise, the UDP locked the gates and proceeded to build an exceptional fence around the place. We are talking six, seven years now, and exercising in the National Stadium is still only a memory. And yet, with all that, Belize City remains the ruling UDP’s political stronghold. The UDP won 8 out of the 10 Belize City seats in the last general election in 2012, and a landslide victory in this March’s Belize City Council election. This indicates to us that there is some political failure on the part of the Opposition People’s United Party (PUP) with respect to the old capital. If the PUP leadership has ever analyzed this situation in the old capital, we are not in a position to say.

From the Publisher
The ruling United Democratic Party (UDP) made a decision, as Belize prepared for the September 1989 general elections, that they would not advertize in Amandala, which was clearly the leading newspaper in the nation at the time. (This was before the time of KREM Radio and KREM Television.) Just a few years earlier, I had supported Manuel Esquivel, a former St. John’s College physics teacher, for UDP leadership after the failure of their Dr. Ted Aranda leadership. I can remember being in meetings on Albert Street with Net Vasquez, Henry Young, and the late San Perdomo in the latter part of 1982 as we discussed the January 1983 UDP leadership convention to be held at Bird’s Isle. The other two candidates for leadership were Mr. Philip Goldson, a former National Independence Party (NIP) Leader, and Mr. Dean Lindo, the first UDP Leader (1973-1979). Mr. Goldson was already almost completely blind. Mr. Lindo and I had developed serious hostility towards each other between 1973 and 1979. I felt Mr. Esquivel gave us the best chance to win. I say “us” because I was fully in support of the UDP, which helped our newspaper survive the massive Price and Sylvestre libel suits of 1982 and 1983.

Stubborn and hard-headed
Dear Editor, I am yet to read on the presentation made by our learned Minister of Foreign Affairs to the General Assembly of the United Nations at its last sitting. In my articles published in the Amandala on the 23rd August, 2015 and the 20th September, 2015 I gave my views, opinions and recommendations on the Anglo-Guatemalan dispute over Guatemala’s unfounded claim to our country. In those articles, I pointed out the pros, cons, risks and no “guarantee” as outlined in the Draft Confidential Document prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2008, the same year that it signed in Washington, DC, USA the “Compromis” Agreement with Guatemala to conduct referendum for the people to decide on referring this dispute to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). I spoke in my articles against going to the ICJ, and I recommended instead, that we not only sponsor a Resolution at the sitting of the General Assembly of the United Nations, but that we go directly to the Security Council of the United Nations to present this matter.

Carlos “Paraquat” Griffith dies after beat-down
Carlos “Paraquat” Griffith, 63, a resident of Orange Walk Town, survived for four days after he was severely beaten by two men at about 8:30 Monday night near the Orange Walk Town Fire Station on Queen Victoria Street in Orange Walk Town. As a result of the vicious beating, Griffith suffered a fractured skull and large abrasions to the back of the head and face. He was declared dead at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital at about 8:35 last night after being in a critical condition. His body has since been taken to the morgue where it will undergo a post-mortem examination to certify the cause of his death. Police are now looking for the two men who attacked Griffith.

77-year-old woman, in wheelchair, sexually assaulted by son-in-law, 54
A 77-year-old woman who is confined to a wheelchair was reportedly sexually assaulted in her home by her son-in-law, who is 54, at about 10:00 Wednesday morning, September 30. Police reported that the woman was in her yard when her son-in-law went to her house, wheeled her inside, took off her bra and kissed and fondled her breasts, and then touched her private parts. After the assault, the son-in-law left the house and the woman called police. Police launched an immediate search for the son-in-law, and he was arrested on Thursday, October 1, and charged with sexual assault and harm.

Breaking Belize News

Police find over 500 grams of weed in Placencia
An Anti-Drug operation in Placencia, led police officers to the discovery of 554.1 grams of cannabis while they conducted searches in two empty lots located at the south side of Placencia Village. Police discovered a total of three black plastic bags containing the total of 554.1 grams of Cannabis. No […]

Corozal man charged for drug trafficking
A resident from the Corozal District is facing charges for Drug Trafficking. According to police reports, sometime after 7:00 p.m. Corozal Police conducted a search at the residence of 49-year-old Wilbert Pedro Hernandez, a business man of #10 San Narciso Street in the Altamira Area which led them to the discovery of […]

Surveillance footage helps to identify Trial Farm robbers
With the help of the public, Orange Walk police have been able to identify the two armed suspects that robbed Yan’s Store in Trial Farm Village on Saturday night. Belize City police have been able to detain one of the men and the other who is known to them […]

More sunny skies on the horizon
Mainly fair weather conditions will prevail the next couple of days. The National Meteorological Service of Belize is predicting mostly sunny skies today and clear skies tonight with little or no rainfall. Winds will be blowing variable at less than 10 knots and the sea state will be slight […]

Three detained for armed robbery at butane station
Three persons are currently in police custody pending an ongoing investigation into armed robbery in the old capital. A little after 1:00 p.m. on October 5th, a pump attendant of Southern Choice Butane Ltd, located at mile four on the Phillip Goldson Highway reported that around earlier that day around 11:00 a.m., while at work […]

COLA begins first political campaign against ex-Foreign Affairs Minister
Citizens Organized for Liberty through Action (COLA) is entering choppy waters as it targets Pick stock area representative Wilfred Elrington to lose his seat in the November 4 general election. The organisation is to hold a public meeting on Thursday, October 8 at 7:30 in the evening on […]

Armed men steal 2014 D-Max from Manager of St. Martin Credit Union in Cayo
A 2014 green Isuzu D-Max pickup truck was stolen from Raymond Tzul when he was held at gunpoint over the weekend by three Hispanic young men. Tzul posted the incident on his Facebook page, stating that he had seen his three aggressors earlier that same day, sitting under a […]

SSB workers protesting for new uniforms
Yesterday, during their lunch break, employees of the Social Security Board Orange Walk branch staged a protest with placards in hands expressing their disapproval of management’s decision to not compensate them for their uniform allowance. For context, under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) workers are to receive new uniforms […]

Ten-year-old dies from injuries in Monday night accident
Reports reaching our newsroom indicate that 10-year-old Tezra Thompson, had succumbed to her injuries due to an unfortunate incident on Monday night. Thompson, was knocked down on the George Price Highway near Mahogany Heights. She went into cardiac arrest due to severe blood loss. The minor’s injuries included a broken leg, cut to […]

Blogs

The 15th Belize General Election – Freetown – Part 2
Several of my readers have commented or asked about the basis for my opinions, some assuming I do polling and some because they know I have been engaged to poll over the years for individuals and organizations as a consultant. I have participated in two very professional such exercises in the past, one for political purposes and one to help assess the feasibility and commercial prospects of a proposed investment that would’ve depended greatly on public goodwill. All the campaigns poll in some form or fashion. Some do so professionally, some do so informally, some do so individually. Few actually honestly reveal their results but I do irregularly get some of the results through leaks. The penchant for secrecy amuses me because the results rarely change the calculus of the campaign managers. While polls, especially those done in Belize, do reveal areas of weakness in campaigns, I have found few campaigns here who know how to properly interpret them.

5 Must Try Dishes in Belize
When traveling to an unfamiliar country, it is always recommended to do some research on where you’re going, what activities there are, what languages are spoken and even what to eat. Home to a melting-pot of cultures and races, there is quite a wide variety of food to choose from when visiting Belize. The following is a list of our picks for the “5 Must Try Dishes in Belize.” Enjoy! Rice & Beans, Cow Foot Soup, Chirmole, Boil Up, Conch Soup, Honorable Mention - Meat Pies

Finn Kardashian Takes SE Asia, Episode 4.0: LAOS’s First Belizean, the World’s Most Dangerous Bar Hop and Much More
Hello, See right across the river there, that is LAOS our destination. Time for different culture, writing, food and even the party scene…. WELCOME TO LAOS! For those who had a sub-par 6th grade Social Studies geography primer, here is a map. GUESS WHAT! I am Officially the first Belizean in the whole country of Laos, That’s right this might as well go on my eulogy when I die. They thought my passport was a Joke but you know what? They went to the computer and saw that it was original and then they said welcome to LAOS – you are the first Belizean in our computer systems.

International Sources

Scientists Create Bikinis For Turtles
Oscar Wilde once said: “You can never be overdressed or overeducated.” These loggerhead sea turtles are now the living embodiment of that quote. To gain a deeper understanding of this endangered species' habitat and diet, Australian scientists are dressing sea turtles in mini-swim suits. The researchers captured six loggerhead sea turtles, placed them in seawater tanks at the Moreton Bay Research Station and waited for nature to take its course. Feces give scientists a lot of information about an animal's diet, but the team faced the problem of collecting enough. “It was challenging to collect the entire faecal sample once it dispersed into the water. So we developed a flexible funnel anchored to the shell, to fit over the turtle’s tail. But this was not a good answer either because the animals are so large, it was difficult to keep the devices in place," said Coffee in a statement. After a very bizarre eureka moment with Moreton Bay Research Station’s education coordinator, Dr Kathy Townsend, Coffee went down to his local thrift store and bought some old T-shirts. After a bit of tailoring, cutting and some Velcro, the turtle diaper-slash-bikini was born. “To our great surprise, it worked perfectly,“ Dr Townsend said. “The suits were easy to put on, comfortable for the sea turtles to wear, looked great, and Owen was able to collect the entire faecal sample.”

Belize Telemedia and Parcus Group Announce an Agreement
Belize Telemedia (BTL) and Parcus Group, announced today that they have entered into an agreement under which Parcus Group will provide training and consulting services around telecom product management for BTL. “We needed a credible and skilled partner to support our growth and assist us to deliver market leading telecom services for our customers” said Linda Eck, Marketing Manager at Belize Telemedia. “Parcus Group’s ability to provide a very comprehensive telecom product management framework coupled with full on-site consulting and training to support our business transformation goals, was an important factor in our decision.” “We are a key supporter for telecom carriers globally” said Igor Glavanic, Managing Director of Parcus Group.

Le Belize, votre prochaine destination soleil?
Au Québec, le mot «hiver» rime souvent avec voyage dans le sud! Dans cet ordre d’idées, je vous suggère une nouvelle destination pour faire changement des très connus Punta Cana et compagnie: le Belize. Un mois passé au Belize m’a suffi pour comprendre la particularité de ce magnifique pays : la population y vit en symbiose avec son environnement et elle accorde une grande importance à la préservation des animaux, de la vie marine et de la flore. Ce pays situé en dessous du Mexique, en Amérique centrale, est encore peu connu des touristes, mais je vous assure qu’il vaut le détour! Avec ses eaux turquoise et chaudes, ses montagnes, ses jungles, ses animaux (singes, lamantins, oiseaux, crocodiles, requins, poissons, etc.), ses plages et ses îles à couper le souffle, le Belize n’a pas fini de vous surprendre! Ses habitants sont un heureux mélange de descendants mayas (oui, oui des vrais!), de Jamaïcains, d’Africains, d’Espagnols et j’en passe. J’y ai fait des rencontres marquantes, comme celle avec ce guide de plongée en apnée «qui chuchotait à l’oreille des poissons». Il avait deux amis requins qui le suivaient sous l’eau comme des chiens de poche en tout temps! Il pouvait les flatter, les pousser, jouer avec eux! Il allait carrément visiter son amie l’anguille, baptisée Hulk parce qu’elle est verte, en cognant avec un coquillage à l’entrée de sa «petite maison».

As IRS And DOJ Hunt Offshore Accounts, Banks Pony Up
The number of banks with deferred prosecution agreements with the U.S. government keeps growing. The subject is tax evasion involving American account holders. Today, under FATCA, banks everywhere want to know if you are compliant with the IRS. And the IRS keeps updating its list of foreign banks where offshore accounts trigger a 50% (rather than 27.5%) penalty in the IRS’s long-running Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program (OVDP). This penalty is based on the highest account balance measured over up to eight years. With over 100 Swiss banks taking the DOJ deal and FATCA disclosures increasing, everyone is rooting out Americans with increasing vigilance. Within the OVDP, people who pre-cleared before the various effective dates are generally safe from the higher 50% penalty. As additional banks are added to the list, though, only those who get in under the wire will stay safe. The 50% penalty now applies to all taxpayers with accounts at financial institutions or with facilitators which are named, are cooperating or are identified in a court filing such as a John Doe summons.

Videos

October 6, 2015

FOR TODAY'S BELIZE WEATHER, CLICK HERE

Click for our Daily Tropical Weather Report.

Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5, LOVETV, PGTV, West Vision (Cayo) and CTV 3
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, Rise and Shine Morning Show, and the Dickie Bradley Specials

Ambergris Today

Camp Starfish Extends Thank You's to Community
On behalf of the entire Camp Starfish team and the 27 Special Needs individuals you helped with your generosity, we say it again: THANK YOU! Providing food, drinks, supplies, transportation, and a even a float, the following businesses made Camp Starfish an overwhelming success. These corporate citizens exemplify the best of what teamwork can accomplish. So we say: THANK YOU

Flashbacks - The Historic Belize City Swing Bridge
San Pedranos vividly and with nostalgia remember the Belize City swing bridge. They used to cross underneath it with small skiffs and used to patiently wait for six in the morning to pass and go beyond the bridge. In the evenings when the bridge was swung, they lined up to return to the east side of the bridge and up the river to the open sea. Reasons to cross to the west side of the bridge were to load up for ice or gasoline or to seek safe harbor in the approach of a hurricane. In 1923 April 11th, at a cost of $84,000.00 this new swing bridge across the Belize River was officially open. It was the first swing bridge in Belize. This metal swing bridge replaced a wooden one that had been built since 1818 and again in 1859. This makes the first wooden bridge 197 years old and the metal bridge still in use 92 years old. Judging from the models of cars in the city, this Flashback takes us back to around the 1950’s. We also remember large crowds of people stopping by to enjoy the spectacle of the bridge being swung manually by a team of six men using a metal bar.

25 Years Ago - The Filming of Mosquito Coast in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye
Twenty five years something really exciting happened in San Pedro. It was the Mosquito Coast. Today people talk about Mosquito Coast though knowing very little about it. Well, see if you can discover exactly what it is. In 1986 San Pedro was chosen to be the site for the filming of the hurricane scene for the movie Mosquito Coast. The particular site chosen for the shooting was Holliday Lands just south of Victoria House, about 3 miles south of San Pedro Town. Belize was selected for the filming of this movie after considering Jamaica, Mexico, Honduras, Brazil and West Africa. The actual filming of the movie began on mainland Belize on February 3 1985 at various places including Gracie Rock, the mouth of Sibun River and the Manatee River. The filming of the hurricane flood scenes commenced on April 2 in San Pedro.

Pic of the Week - Extreme Selfie High Above Ambergris Caye, Belize
Belizean photographer Jose Luis Zapata shows us how amazingly fun his job can be. He "WOW's" us with this selfie on board Astrum Helicopters during one of his most recent assignments high above San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. Needless to say the shot is epic, giving us some perspective as to the adrenaline rush he was feeling while taking pictures.

Misc Belizean Sources

12th Annual Saga Spooktacular Oct 25th
Get those spooky costumes ready and brush up on that favorite pet trick. The 12th Annual Saga Humane Society Spooktacular Halloween Party and Costume Contest is Sunday October 25th at Carlo & Ernie's Runway Bar and Grill. Spook you all then!

Splashers!
This Thursday at Crazy Canucks! 2p.m be there for some fresh splashing! ; ). Will create the event when I'm around my laptop.

Maya House of Cacao and Chocolate Museum
The Maya House of Cacao and Chocolate Museum is a three year project funded, predominantly, by the European Union. We are coming up on our second year and are proud to announce that the majority of our work packages have already been completed! This will give us more time to concentrate on the construction and design of the museum. We are excited to create this museum/ cultural learning center in order to educate students about cacao and its importance in the Maya culture as well as bring more tourism to Toledo. The second year of this project will be very exciting. It will include the ground breaking of the museum and the beginning of construction. We will be hard at work designing the museum, hiring a curator, and training future employees. We will be finishing the value-add processing work package by bringing in expertise from Trinidad and Tobago to train 50 women. You may find their handcrafted products sold at the museum! Our new planned opening date will be early 2014 and we look forward to seeing you!

Power interruption 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 midday Wednesday, October 7, Dangriga
Ecumenical Dr, Melinda Rd, Benguche Area, Wagierale Area, Commerce St, Market Square, Church St and Sisters of the Holy Family St. BEL to energize high voltage line extension, reroute high voltage lines and replace utility poles carrying high voltage lines in the area.

BTIA Tourism Discussion
The Cayo chapter of the Belize Tourism Industry Association and the Sacred Heart Junior College are inviting everyone to the SHC auditorium on Wednesday night for a discussion about the new Belize Tourism Board rules and regulations. Find out how the new rules will affect your business.

Magic Shows at Octavia Waight Centre
Tonight there will be a magic show at the Octavia Waight Centre. The shows are fundraisers for Rotary so they can give scholarships to local students in need. Thanks, Rotary!

Fight Night Highlights
The big boxing match between Fres Oquendo and David Ferraez was last week, and the 501 Boyz got tons of great pictures from the event. Gallery 1, Gallery 2, Gallery 3, Galery 4.

Channel 7

Social Security Workers Protest Countrywide
Social Security employees staged protests all over the country today. The workers are demanding financial compensation because they haven't gotten their new uniforms - those have been delayed for 10 months. Now, the agreement says that the workers should receive their uniforms every 18 months but that period expired last year December and now the workers say they want compensation for all those months without the uniforms. Today when we went to the Social Security office in the city, the employees had nothing to say but President of the Christian Workers Union Audrey Matura Shepherd spoke on their behalf. She says they are all entitled to compensation. Audrey Matura Shephard, President, CWU "What happened, they took their lunch time and for half hour in protest and disapproval of management's decision not to pay them their clothing allowance. They united and came out together to show management that they are not satisfied with their decision. Now don't think that they didn't just decide to get up and say we are not satisfied. There has been a process and there have been attempts and discussion and negotiation to get management to come around to accepting that let the present CBA, the protocols and procedures already established if you do not give the employees their uniform every 18 months as you should, then you need to give them a clothing allowance. This is an agreement.

Uniforms? It's About Uniforms?
So now what is the Social Security Board's management saying on this issue? Well, they definitely aren't taking all the blame for the delayed uniforms. When we spoke to Chairman of the SSB Doug Singh he told us that the committee responsible for confirming the style and other details of the uniforms comprises of 3 union members and 2 members of management. But apart from that, the management says the workers are NOT entitled to any financial compensation because according to their understanding of the agreement - it does not say anything about compensation. Singh told us today that it has to with a difference in interpretation. Doug Singh, Chairman, Social Security Board "It is my understanding, I mean t wasn't clarified until today when I asked the CEO to meet with the chief of steward of the union, Ms. Flowers and ask exactly what the action was based on. Other than that we would been guessing. And they indicated that it was on the uniform issue and when I saw uniform issue, is they wrote a letter to Social Security asking for compensation for a clothing allowance payment in accordance with their interpretation of their collective bargaining agreement. We responded to that letter indicating, the CEO responded that we did not interpret the clause in the collective bargaining agreement as they did and that there was not a financial entitlement.

Worker Says It's About More Than Uniforms
So as we told you SSB employees protested all over the country during their lunch break. We have an interview with SSB member from Belmopan courtesy our colleagues at PLUS TV. They told Plus TV it's more than the uniforms: Employee - SSB "We had our first protest this morning, the first sign that members are unhappy and the CEO called us in and basically dismissed us with nothing. Our members will not have it, we have sat by quietly and be good for too long. We need to pay attention to us." Reporter "What sort of intimidation are you talking about?" Employee - SSB "Intimidation, telling us that because we are working for the people and it's the people's money, that people will not be on our side - we don't have the support of the public. We are begging for anything. We come to Social Security every day and we give our hard work and we expect to be treated with respect and dignity that is due to workers."

Former PUP Mayoral Candidate Chacon Defects To UDP, Disses The Blue
Tonight there is a high profile defection from the PUP - and one that is making the UDP giddy with excitement. He is Jose Chacon - who ran as the PUP's Mayoral candidate in Belmopan 7 months ago. But now, Chacon says he is through with the PUP; he's resigned from the party and has thrown his support behind the UDP's John Saldivar. And for maximum effect - Chacon - who is also a reggaeton artist - was made to record a statement underscoring the reasons he left. He pointed to disillusionment with the party which he formerly embraced with such zeal:... Jose Chacon, Former PUP Mayoral Candidate - Belmopan "When I sought elected office to be the mayor of Belmopan under the PUP banner earlier this year, I sincerely thought that the PUP had changed. I have come to recognize the truth, that the PUP has not changed and that this PUP is the very same party with the very same leaders whom from 1998 to 2008, over saw the most corrupt government in Belize's history. But the more I saw of this PUP, the more I was exposed to its leaders, the quicker I came to realize that the PUP was only a vehicle for the enrichment and power of a few individuals.

What Wilfred Said
On Friday night we played you a small portion of Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington's speech at the United Nations - where he spoke about climate change. And indeed, in his 18 and a half minute address that's mostly what he spoke about. But his critics say that instead of talking about that - he should have been talking about the Belize - Guatemala issue - and telling the UN about Guatemala's acts of aggression on the Sarstoon. But, in fact, those critics say, he only glossed over the amendment to the special agreement with Guatemala. Here's what Elrington said. Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs "Earlier this year, we signed a protocol the special agreement between Belize and Guatemala to submit Guatemala's territorial insular and maritime claim to our country to the International Court of Justice. We expect that this will facilitate and speed up the process to finally and definitively put an end to the unfounded claims that have plaque us and our region for far too long."

PUP's Former Foreign Ministers Inveigh Against Elrington
Today the PUP pounced on that very brief reference. Not satisfied with a press release which they sent out on Friday evening - today the party brought together four of its former Foreign Ministers: Said Musa, Eamon Courtenay, Godfrey Smith and Lisa Shoman to put Elrington on mass blast. The 40 minutes press briefing was held at party headquarters where Shoman led the assault on Elrington:.. Lisa Shoman, Former Foreign Minister "The People's United Party is deeply concerned, not only by what is contained in that delivery of that speech at the United Nations by Foreign Minister Elrington. But more importantly we are concerned by what it does not contained. We know that climate change is critical and important, but right now Guatemala and the unfounded claim is a bigger existential threat to Belize than is climate change right now. We are doing our work on climate change. The climate change center of the Caribbean is here. We did not need only one minute and nine seconds of addressing Belize and eighteen minutes of climate change. The foreign minister goes to the biggest world stage that there is, the biggest annual world stage and delivers one minute and nine seconds of basic inconsequentialities."

A Trio Of Weekend City Shootings
There were several shootings in the city over the weekend. The first happened on Saturday night on Antelope Street - where police saw 24 year old Devon Bailey suffering from 2 gunshot wounds- one to his left calf and one to his right thigh. According to police Bailey was standing beside a fence inside a yard at #10 Antelope Street when shots were fired from a black car travelling from the direction of Central America Boulevard. Bailey remains at the K.H.M.H in a stable condition. Police have since detained one person and are seeking another. The other shooting happened last night on Supal Street around 9:30.19 year old Travis Williams was shot to the right leg. Williams told police he was standing on the street side when a lone gunman on a bicycle fired about four shots in his direction. Williams has been released from the KHMH. No one has been detained for the shooting.

OW Police Ask: Do You Know This Man
Orange Walk police need your help to find a gunman who held up a Chinese store in sugar city. It happened on Saturday night - and it was all caught on security camera. Police say they have the gunman's face but no ID. Second in command Nicholas Palomo explains:... Inspector Nicholas Palomo, Deputy Officer Commanding Orange Walk "A Chinese establishment Yen Store that is located on Belize/Corozal Road also in Trial Farm Village was robbed and stolen was $2,000. At this point the Chinese grocer has not come to make a report but the police have visited the scene and there is a footage that shows the two robbers. They went in barefaced with a 9mm pistol and the footage shows them very good and we would like to ask the assistance of the media to show the faces so that we could identify these culprits."

Looking For "Paraquat's" Killers
Keeping it in Orange Walk, last week we told you about the vicious beating of Carlos Griffith. He was brutalized on the 28th September by two men who were fighting him for a stool he was sitting on. They fractured his skull and smashed his face. He died on Friday night at 8:15. Orange Walk police say they have one person detained - and he is from the city. Inspector Nicholas Palomo, Deputy Officer Commanding Orange Walk "Since then, police investigation commence and we have one person detained where we are awaiting the conclusion of the identification parade, we will know if we will arrest and charged the persons or release the persons we have detained at this time." Reporter "The persons detained, I understand they are Belize City men." Inspector Nicholas Palomo, Deputy Officer Commanding Orange Walk "Yes, they are Belize City people and investigation and assistance from the public lead to the detention of these persons."

Another OW Home Invasion
Belize City suspects are also wanted for the home invasion of DJ Gaby's home and business on the Belize Orange Walk Road which happened last week. Police say the suspects are two men from Jump Street, or Wagner's Lane in Belize City. And there was another home invasion on Saturday at 1:00 pm in the san Lazaro Area of Orange Walk. Police told us more:.. Inspector Nicholas Palomo, Deputy Officer Commanding Orange Walk "Mrs. Vangeline Chan, a Belize business woman of 9 Dolphin Street, San Lorenzo Housing Site visited the police station and reported that about 1pm, she was at a residence when two male persons came in. One of the male persons held her down and pointed a 9mm at her and started to search the house. They stole $900 and jewelries and a cell phone. All amounting to a total of $4,600. She managed to take off one of the assailants mask, because two of them wore mask and now we are looking for two persons. We have one person detained right now pending investigation."

Human Remains Found
Human remains were found in Cayo's remote Spring Field Community on Thursday morning - and Belmopan police suspect foul play. The remains were found in a sack 6 miles south of the community between 2 large rocks. Inside the sack police also found a long grey jeans and a brown shirt. Now, police believe that it may be the remains of 75 year old Francisco Reyes Ruiz who went missing in that area on September 22nd but when we spoke to them a couple minutes ago, no report has been sent to them as yet, so no details or identity have been confirmed as yet.

Convicted Sex Offender Gets Free
28 year-old Artie Myers, a resident of Gales Point Manatee who was in jail serving 12 years for a carnal knowledge conviction, is at home tonight. That's after the Court of Appeal handed down a significant ruling in his favor. His conviction was quashed, his sentenced was set aside, a retrial was ordered, and he was granted bail. Myers was convicted on March 21 of last year in the Belmopan Supreme Court, in a trial conducted by Justice Antoinette Moore. He was accused of having sexual intercourse with a 12 year-old girl in Punta Gorda Town on November 6, 2012. In that criminal trial back in March, Myers was unrepresented. The complainant, who was 13 years-old at the time, took the stand and told the court at that time that the statement she gave to police accusing Myers was a total and complete lie. The prosecutor on the case treated her as a hostile witness, and her original witness statement was admitted into evidence. At the end of the trial, the jury found him guilty, and Justice Moore sentenced him to 12 years.

Harvest Caye Cometh
10 Days ago, we gave you a look - albeit from a distance - at the ongoing development on Harvest Caye. That's where Norwegian Cruise Line is building its 100 million-dollar cruise port and docking facility. That project will bring mass cruise tourism to Southern Belize, and the official deadline for its opening is February 2016. So, is NCL still on schedule with that timeline? This weekend we asked BTB's Destination and Cruise Tourism Director about it - here's what he said: Daniel Ortiz "Are we still on schedule for February 2016 opening of Harvest Caye?" Valdemar Andrade - Director, Destination Planning & Cruise, BTB "Yes. As far as the last conversation I had with the director of port operations Mr. Colin Murphy from NCL, yes. We are still on target for February of 2016. I think all the aspects on the island are on target. We are also working with the tour operation side of it. We are now having the detailed discussions as to what kind of tours they will be having there and being able to get those on target as well. So from our side and in terms of the cruise calls we have secured from that port, yes, everything is set for February 2016."

Life After Third Degree Burns For Three Year Old
For the past 3 months, 3 year-old Dylan Pop, and his mother, who live in Big Falls, Toledo, have been in Boston, Massachusetts in the USA. He was receiving specialized medical care at the Shriners Hospital for Children. He arrived there with 3rd degree burns to 40% of his body, injuries he suffered in late June, when he accidentally fell into a pot of boiling water that his mother was preparing lunch with. The burns he suffered were already life-threatening, but in Dylan's case, he was born with multiple cardiac complications. The burns made his case far more complicated because they were putting stress on his already compromised heart. So, the Burn Victim Mercy Fund and the Gift of Life, Belize teamed up to get him and his mother from the KHMH to Shriners Hospital in Boston where he arrived in a frail and fragile state. The doctors gave him a 50% chance of survival, but with their expertise, and a stroke of great fortune, he received care for the burns, and life-saving surgery for his congenital heart defect.

Darren Banks, Schizophrenic
On March 26th 2012, the Notorious Darren Banks, said to be the leader of the PIV gang back then, was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment for 26 and a half pounds of marijuana which was found on top of the roof of his Oleander Street home. At the time of the search at Bank's home, police say they found an AR-15 rifle, twenty nine 5.56 live rounds of ammunition, and thirteen .223 live rounds of ammunition. Banks was charged with kept prohibited firearm, kept prohibited ammunition and drug trafficking. It's been over 3 years now since Darren Banks has been locked up and things have only gotten worse for him and his family. Banks was diagnosed with Schizophrenia - a long-term mental health condition that causes a range of different psychological symptoms. According to his family, his rights are being violated at the prison due to his mental condition.

Capital Cops Catch Timroy
Police finally caught Timroy Neal. Neal was caught on Saturday in Belmopan after eluding police since September of last year. He is wanted in connection with a number of murders over the past months. He also faces other charges from robbery to attempted murder. Viewers may remember that Neal along with another suspect were wanted in connection with June's gruesome double murder in Teakettle. The victims were Americans Julian Christopher Jones, and Paul David Signorino.

A Marketplace Of The Unique
On Saturday over 100 artisans from all 6 districts gathered at BTL Park in Belize City, for the BTB's 4th Annual Arts and Craft Expo. It's an opportunity to see all the neat stuff that Belizean craftsmen and women produce from jewelry to jams, purses to pepper sauce. But more than just a showcase, it's also a chance to get their products seen by potential new customers: Andrade told us this afternoon that this year's expo performed about the same at the BTL Park as it did at the other locations where it had been hosted in the past.

Channel 5

P.U.P. Condemns Statement and Stance of FM Wilfred Elrington
The Foreign Minister’s speech to the United Nations in New York on Friday is causing a firestorm.  While it is not the first time that Wilfred “Sedi’’ Elrington has come [...]

Fonseca Says Belizeans Must Consider Nation’s Sovereignty on Election Day
Is the People’s United Party attempting to capitalize on what is being described as the foreign minister’s blunder?  General elections are just a month away and whatever can be used [...]

Former P.U.P. Mayoral Candidate Defects
The U.D.P. sent out a release this morning which was followed by a response from the P.U.P.  The U.D.P. release announces that the former defeated mayoral candidate in Belmopan, Jose [...]

S.S.B. Employees Protest over Clothing Allowance
Today, employees of the Social Security Board from all branches countrywide protested for half an hour during their lunch break. The organization provides its employees with uniforms every eighteen months, [...]

CWU President Says S.S.B. Management Ignoring Rules
Matura-Shepherd says that the reason the employees waited to receive their uniforms is because it is only at that point that they could calculate how much they believe they are [...]

S.S.B./CWU Negotiate Employees’ CBA
When we spoke to CWU President Audrey Matura-Shepherd in the wake of the S.S.B. protest this afternoon, she emphasized that the protest was not over the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Still, [...]

S.S.B. Chairman Says Board is Cooperating Fully with CWU
Singh says any question of salary should not hold up the process since the framework places discussions on non-financials first. The CWU has condemned the S.S.B. for what they say [...]

OW Man Succumbs to Injuries Sustained in Vicious Beating
According to our records, since the start of the year, there have been five murders in the northern municipality of Orange Walk. On Friday night, that count went up by [...]

Skeletal Remains Found Near Springfield Community
There is another case of murder that the police will have to crack. Over the weekend, the remains of man were found stuffed in a sack in a community on [...]

Guinea Grass Man Chopped for Money
But back to Orange Walk where twenty-four year old Jose Antonio Zepeda Junior of Guinea Grass Village was chopped to the forehead last Friday. Zepeda Junior claims that after nine [...]

OW Police Try to Identify Robbers Through Surveillance Video
Just before ten on Friday night, two thieves, believed to be Belize City residents pounced on a Chinese Grocery Shop in Trial Farm, Orange Walk. While the robbers have not [...]

COLA Takes Aim at Elrington…AGAIN
Since delivering a lengthy address before the UN General Assembly on Friday, Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington has been raked over the coals for failing to properly address the Belize-Guatemala dispute.  [...]

COLA President Urges Pickstock Voters To Sack Elrington
COLA’s endgame since going on the offensive a few weeks ago is the removal of Sedi Elrington as Belize’s Foreign Minister, but that is a moot point because elections are [...]

CWU/POB Agree On CBA Framework
Port of Belize Limited and the Christian Workers Union have reached significant accord in the framework to negotiating the CBA governing stevedores. That’s good news in a negotiating process which [...]

CWU President Says FCIB Operating in Bad Faith
Where the negotiation with First Caribbean International Bank is concerned the news is not as good. Matura-Shepherd told News Five that the bank continues to operate in bad faith, so [...]

Football, Basketball and Cycling Updates on Sports Monday
Good evening I am James Adderley and this is Sports Monday.   Yesterday’s PLB matchup between the Champions Verdes FC and Police United inside the Norman Broaster Stadium proved to [...]

CTV3

Case Of Carlos Griffith's Upgraded To Murder
Since Monday of last week we have been reporting on a vicious attack suffered by one of Orange Walk’s very own, Carlos “Paraquat” Girffiths. Over the weekend, Griffiths, who sustained a fractured skull and large cuts wounds to the face, succumbed to his injuries at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. But there seems to be a lot of questions on the way the police handled the situation and the department has now come under intense scrutiny from the public. We drilled the Deputy Commanding Officer, Inspector Nicolas Palomo on the incident to get answers…. “The 2nd of October, 2015 at 8:15pm, Carlos Griffith was pronounced dead, he succumb to his injuries, as we speak right now a post mortem is being conducted on him since then police investigation commenced and we have one person detained where we are awaiting and assistance from the public lead to the detention of this person. It is police protocol when a person is either injured or suffering from gunshot wounds it is either the BERT personnel that move them.”

Opposition Lashes Out At Elrington For Comments Made At The UN
Last week the PUP condemned the Attorney General and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wilfred Elrington’s statement at the United Nations’ 70th General Assembly in New York City and was back in the media spot light again today in a press conference to reiterate their distaste towards not only his statement but more importantly, the UDP administration’s handling of the Belize/Guatemala dispute. Former Senator and former Minister of Foreign Affairs herself, Lisa Shoman, began by saying that Guatemala, in a diplomatic note to Belize in August made statements that should not have been ignored and omitted by Foreign Minister Elrington in his address at the UN. “On the 24th of August 2015, the ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala sent a diplomatic note to Belize in response to the Diplomatic note #551 of the 19th of August of the Government of Belize. The government of Guatemala stated that it categorically rejects the diplomatic note of Belize and the affirmations made therein by the government of Belize in respect to what they call an incursion...

PUP Condemns Wilfred Elrington For Incompetence
Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington has fallen under repeated criticism as it relates to the Belize/Guatemala dispute. Other groups such as the Citizens Organized for Liberty through Action, COLA, have been very verbal about their discontent to put it lightly on Elrington’s handling of the negotiations with Guatemala. And while many have called for his removal from that position, which has been ignored by UDP leader Dean Barrow, the PUP say it is not his personality that’s regrettable. Lisa Showman – Former Minister Foreign Affairs: “No the problem is not the personality if Sedi Elrington, the problem is the management of this UDP administration of a strategy and policy that has been faint staking crafted and carried out, there was as you know a bi partisan commission which was dealing with matters and what we saw that after the Guatemalans actually dropped their promised to proceed to referendum from there we saw a series of steps that was taken which did not lead to better relations and which in fact as the past year and a half have shown have embolden the Guatemalans to increasingly act aggressively toward Belizeans civilians and even Belizean military, I have been in the bi-partisan commission and before me Eamon Courtney and we can tell you that the briefs in the past four years from the national security council has been nonexistent, ...”

LOVE FM

PUP says “we have lost on the ground and we have lost on the diplomatic stage.”
Wilfred Elrington for the, what PUP refers to as weak and inaccurate comments made in New York last week, the criticisms has now been extended to the administration when it comes to the Belize/Guatemala issue. The People’s United Party, for some months now, has been campaigning on the platform that Elrington is an inadequate representative […]

Opposition People’s United Party takes objection with Foreign Minster’s address to the United Nations
Last Friday saw the release from the People’s Untied Party condemning and criticizing the presentation made at the UN’s General Assembly by Foreign Affairs Minister, Wilfred Elrington. It is a case where Minister Elrington, for whatever reason, gave the impression in his speech that going to the International Court of Justice was a done deal […]

Police Investigate Cases of Robbery and Burglary in OW
On October third, a Belizean business woman of Dolphin Street in Orange Walk Town reported that while in her kitchen, three male persons entered with their faces covered with black stockings. One of them reportedly went inside the kitchen and took all the money that she usually keeps there. While the other assailant had what […]

Police Woman Dies After Not Being Able to Afford Healthcare
A 24-year-old police woman is dead, leaving a three month old baby behind. Shanique Roca-Terry was a first time mother but ever since she gave birth to her son on June 24, 2015, she has been in the hospital for the most part after she was diagnoses with pulmonary edema, cardiomyopathy, vein thrombosis, an enlarged […]

PlusTV

Man charged for Belmopan Burglary
There was a burglary in the North Piccini area of Belmopan on Friday night. Quick police work led to the detention of a suspect and his subsequent arrest. Superintendt Howell Gillett told us what the home owner reported to police. Sup. Howell Gillett, O. C. Belmopan Police: Between 8 and 12, 8am and...

Female bar owner charged for sex trafficking of a minor
Authorities in Belmopan are investigating a case of child prostitution. According to reports, between the period of 9th of February to the 9th of March, 34 year old Arely Castro, a Salvadoran Naturalized Belizean, harbored a minor at a bar in Las Flores that she owned for the purpose of child prosti...

No candidates for VIP in this election?
In more political news, Vision Inspired by the People has not introduced any candidates to run in this upcoming general elections so far. We do know that there has obviously been a parting of ways with VIP by some of its key members who have now amalgamated into the newly formed Belize Progressive P...

Former PUP Mayoral Candidate is now UDP
It’s political season and campaigning is on in full swing. The UDP team in Belmopan, John Saldivar’s camp, has gained new support and via a press release today, announced that former PUP member Jose Chacon, who just ran as PUP Mayoral candidate in March of this year, is now a UDP member. The release...

PUP promise consultation, condemn UDP handling of Guatemalan claim
Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington’s speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Friday in New York City has drawn condemnation in political and activist circles, more for what it apparently failed to do than what it did – offer a short update on Belize-Guatemala relations. Accordin...

Did police find remains of missing 75 year old?
75 year old Francisco Reyes, a resident of Salvapan, Belmopan, was reported missing in mid September after his family said he went to his farm near the community of Springfield Village, Cayo, and never returned. We shared with you the heart breaking plea of his daughter to have police assist in the ...

SSB workers protest over Clothing allowance
The Social Security Board Workers, most of whom are represented by the Christian Workers Union, staged a protest today: one during their midmorning break and another during their afternoon break. According to the placards which the 40 add protestors wield, the workers called for “Fair Play of ...

U.S. advises musicians on travel visas
The U.S. Embassy will this evening in Dangriga meet with members of Belize’s entertainment industry, represented by the Music Industry Association of Belize (MIAB) and the newly formed Belize Association of Producers & Promoters (BAPP) to discuss arrangements for travel visas to the United States to perform. Soca Queen Ernestine Carballo was the victim of visa revocation last month when she traveled to New York City for a performance, only to be stopped on landing in the United States and told that her visa had been revoked. She blamed the promoter, but the fact remains that artists and entertainers are granted a different class of visa than ordinary visitors as they are there for a specific and special purpose. Carballo’s ordeal prompted 2 private citizens, promoters Barbara Norales and Cornelius Cayetano, to call on the U.S. Embassy to discuss arranging a session on visa applications for those in the entertainment industry. The presentation will be made by Vice Consul at the Embassy, Matthew Hughes. Norales, who also promotes some local musicians, spoke to our colleagues at KREM News via telephone today.

World Archaelogical Congress concerned for Belizean Maya
The executive committee and counsel of the World Archaeological Congress has written a letter to Prime Minister Dean Barrow expressing concern over the treatment of the Mayas in Belize in their struggle to protect their material and cultural heritage and exercise their legally established land right...

Odor at Guanacaste gone
Residents of Belmopan may have noticed that the distinctive foul odor at the Guanacaste park junction is no longer there. If you were to take a closer look at the stream than runs below the junction, you’d also notice that the distinctive red color is also gone and the water appears somewhat ...

Sexual Assault of Woman in Wheel chair
A 77 year old woman confined to a wheel chair says she was sexually assaulted by her own son-in-law. On October 1, the 77-year-old woman of San Joaquin village, Corozal District reported that the day before, she was at home at around 10 o’clock in the morning. She says he was in front of her house i...

Breaking Belize News

Jose Chacon, ex-Bmp. mayoral candidate, leaves PUP for UDP
The United Democratic Party (UDP) announced on Monday that former People’s United Party (PUP) mayoral candidate for the City of Belmopan, Jose Chacon, has resigned from the PUP and endorsed the UDP and incumbent John Saldivar. A statement from Chacon accompanying the Party’s release says he that thought […]

PUP promise consultation with people on Guatemalan claim
Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington’s speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Friday in New York City has drawn condemnation in political and activist circles, more for what it apparently failed to do than what it did – offer a short update on Belize-Guatemala relations. According to the People’s United […]

SSB workers protest over withheld allowance
Today a nationwide protest was staged by staff of the Belize Social Security Board and the Christian Workers Union has stepped in. According to CWU president, Audrey Matura Shepherd, there is a lot of dissatisfaction at the SSB and the union has been doing its best to calm […]

List of General Election candidates to date
The candidates for the upcoming General Election in each constituency are as follows: 1-Toledo West Juan Coy-United Democratic Party (UDP) Oscar Requena-People’s Un