Recent Belize News, 6/1/2016 to 6/10/2016, BelizeNews.com

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

The San Pedro RC School Boys Team has just won their FIRST game in the National Primary School Football Tournament!
WHOOHOO!!! SPRCS won 2-1 against Orange Walk, with Ian Pou Jr. scoring both goals. This means they are still in the championship hunt! Goooooooooooo SPRCS!!!

SPRCS to represent Belize District in National Primary School Football Tournament
After both female and male football teams from San Pedro Roman Catholic School (SPRCS) emerged victorious at the Rural South Primary School Football Tournament on Thursday, June 2nd, both teams advanced to the District finals. On Monday, June 6th, they travelled to Belize City where the boys from SPRCS took first place, while the girls settled for second place in the competition. As a result, the male team will be representing the entire Belize District at the Nationals in the city of Belmopan on Thursday, June 9th and Friday, June 10th. The games were held at the MCC Grounds Stadium, and in the female division the SPRCS girls took on the female team from the Belize Elementary School. At the end of the match, Erica Pop from SPRCS led her team to victory with a close score of 1-0. With this score they advanced to the finals of the competition. In the male division, the male team from SPRCS faced the boys from St. John’s Vianney Roman Catholic School who was no match to the island team. With a score of 2-0, the male team then joined the female team in the finals.

International Costa Maya Festival® is set for August 4th – 7th
While it has been relatively quiet on the press front, the International Costa Maya Festival® committee has been working hard behind the scenes in preparation for the annual festival. The dates are set: Thursday August 4th through Sunday August 7th, and entertainment for each night has been confirmed. As is tradition, the festival will take place at the Honorable Louis Sylvestre Stadium in San Pedro Town. Following the main format, Thursday night will be Pageant Night, with eight beautiful contestants vying for the title of Reina de La Costa Maya. Beauties from Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama will be competing onstage for the title currently held by 2015’s Gabriela Vanessa Salazar Valle. We already have confirmed the first two gorgeous contestants, and they are Miss Costa Rica and Miss Nicaragua.

Lions celebrate 38th National Convention
Lions and Leos of the Lions Zone 59 held their 38th Annual National Convention on Saturday, June 4th and Sunday, June 5th. The convention was especially dedicated to the memory of Lion Carol Cabral, and held under the theme “Many Hands, One Heart, All Eyes-Lions We Serve.” Hundreds of members from San Pedro Town, San Estevan, Belize City, Belmopan City, and Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico gathered at the Lion Lester H. Young, TRC Building located in Belize City to celebrate the occasion. During the two days of fellowship, members took the opportunity to reflect on the goals and objectives of Lionism. The official opening ceremony took place on Saturday, June 4th, where a cabinet meeting saw numerous Lions discussing zone resolutions, the venue for the next convention, and listening to a motivational talk given by Jerry Enriquez. Mayor Darrell Bradley of Belize City, Director of the National Drug Abuse Control Council Esner Vellos, and Zone 59 Chairman Lion Raul O. Castillo, also gave addresses. Following the opening ceremony visitors and Lion members had the opportunity to visit the various hospitality booths. The booths featured a variety of tasty food and drinks, as well as plenty of giveaways.

Lack of man power again delays completion of Police Barracks
The completion of the second phase of a police barracks for the San Pedro Police Formation will once again experience a delay. The building which will provide additional space to accommodate more law enforcers on the island has been in the construction phase for two years now with its completion still far from sight. According to Nuñez, the delay is now due to the lack of support in the work force, thus, the works will need additional time to be completed. “We need support when it comes to labor in order to finish all the works inside and outside the building. At the moment we are painting the outside of the structure, but it’s only my employees and myself doing it, it is not enough man power. We need additional assistance to finish the job soon,” said Nuñez.

Misc Belizean Sources

Wildtracks Update: Today is a huge step forward for nine of our endangered Yucatan black howler monkeys
oday they move down to the release site at Fireburn, ready for their release back into the wild on Sunday. The three groups have all completed the rehabilitation process, living as semi-wild monkeys in the pre-release enclosure for more than eleven months. It is now time for them to graduate to the real world. Group 1: Teddy and Tilly. Group 2: Little Bean, Suri, Jessie, JW and Hobbes. Group 3: Jaz and Little Pea. These nine monkeys have come a long, long way. Each has its own individual story - some were confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade, others were found as abandoned or injured infants. The post-release tracking crew have been making the final preparations for yhe release - setting up the release cages, making repairs to the Fieldbase ready for the three months of dawn to dusk monitoring.

Caye Caulker Lobster Fest Cook-Off
No Miss Lobster Fest pageant this year, bummer. But the cook off should be fun! As our annual Lobster Fest approaches we have been faced with many challenges in the preparations of this year’s festival; one of them being the Miss Lobster Fest Pageant. Unfortunately this year we will be unable to provide such event due to issues that are beyond our control. We are replacing the pageant with a Cook Off Competition along with live performance by Dynamix Steel Pan and Belize's Soca Queen: Ernestine Carballo. Join us on Friday, July 1st to see your local cooks compete in the first ever cook off and it will be free entry.

Mr. Murrio Ducille sworn in to the Belize Court of Appeal
Mr. Murrio Ducille was sworn in by the Governor General H.E. Sir Colville Young on Tuesday, June 7th, as a Justice to the Belize Court of Appeal for a period of five years.

COMEDY hour today @Ak'boL
Okay San Pedro! Come join COMEDY hour today @Ak'boL Friday June 10th 6-7pm with comedian, screenwriter actress Corrine Petteys

World Accreditation Day 2016 and Recognition Ceremony
For the Belize Bureau of Standards ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System Certification Today June 9th, 2016, the Belize Bureau of Standards (BBS) celebrated World Accreditation Day under the theme Accreditation: A global tool to support Public Policy. The event was hosted in the Cahal Pech Conference Room at the Radisson Fort George Hotel and Marina, in Belize City with participation of key stakeholders across public and private entities. The Minister of State in the Ministry of Economic Development, Petroleum, Investment, Trade and Commerce Hon. Tracy Taegar Panton, in her delivery to the participants, acknowledged the importance of accreditation to trade, manufacturing, industry, security, and health citing its far reaching impact on national policy. The Minister spoke of the most recent wins in accreditation for the CARICOM Region highlighting various laboratories in Jamaica, Guyana and Grenada, not without mentioning that various laboratories in country are currently pursuing accreditation.

Belizean Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture Participates in Workshop on ICT Applications in Agriculture in Taiwan
The Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) is pleased to announce that to strengthen the exchanges and share experiences with friendly countries, the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) invited the Government of Belize, through the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment and Sustainable Development, to recommend an officer to participate in the Workshop on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Applications in Agriculture to be held from June 22nd to July 5th, 2016 in Taiwan. The aforementioned workshop will be hosted by the International Cooperation and Development Fund (Taiwan ICDF).

Government of Belize Offers Condolences on the Passing of Muhammad Ali
The Government of Belize, as a mark of respect and tribute to the memory of the late Muhammad Ali, has ordered that Belize flags be flown at half mast on all official buildings on Friday 10th June 2016. Muhammad Ali, who at birth was named Cassius Clay, passed away on Friday 3rd June 2016 at the age of 74 years, after a long bout of illness. Muhammad Ali, world renowned African American athlete, three time world heavyweight champion boxer, human rights advocate and former United Nations Messenger of Peace, devoted most of his time outside of the ring, in pursuit of peace, supporting humanitarian projects, development initiatives and relief to the less fortunate in the developing world.

Mrs. "Marie" is bestowed with the highest honour
Well known Corozalea affectionately called Mrs. "Marie" is bestowed with the highest honours by the Government of Mexico. Congratulations goes to this sweet, forever helpful and humble woman. Mrs. Marie has also given of her tireless service to our Corozal community. Ambassador of Mexico to Belize Carlos Quesnel: "The Honorary Consulate of Mexico opened its doors in 1997 in the Corozal District, and it was on the 5th of June that our esteemed and very much appreciated Maria Luisa Espat received her exequatur. So today, I say thank you Honorary Consul for all your hard work and dedication for the past 19 years. The people of Corozal and Belize sincerely salute Mrs. Marie Espat being the recipient of this pretigious honour. Mrs. Espat was awarded the highest honour of the Government of Mexico, the Order of the Aztec Eagle, in recognition of her diligence and interest in the affairs of Mexico and its nationals.

Cayo Strongman Competition
The first ever strongman competition in Cayo will be at the Hillview Train Station on Saturday, June 18th. They are running a special on memberships right now. "An updated flyer to inform you with additional information on the Strong Man/Woman competition. It is open to residents of Ontario to Benque only. Call our official numbers for correct information 6277441 or 6365058."

BAS 2016 Summer Camps
The Belize Audubon Society is getting ready for their Summer Camp series. Lots of great sites around Cayo, and Belize, will be visited. "Summer is almost here and we have prepared fun-filled camps! Join us as we learn from nature and engage in exciting adventures. Our BAS Summer Camps......'Where learning about nature is fun!' For more information about our camps call us at 223-5004"

SAT Prep Tutorial: FREE SUMMER SAT CLASSES!
Don't miss this opportunity to prepare for the SAT and apply to universities in the U.S.!!! It's Free and in Belize City at the EducationUSA Reference Center!!!! The National Library Service and Information Systems in partnership with The EducationUSA Reference Center is Offering free SAT classes for the summer.

Channel 7

(Still) Bex With Ms. Bev
The firings of UDP stalwarts from the office of UDP Area Rep for Belize Rural Central, Beverly Castillo has been in the news for two weeks now. And while much has been said, Castillo hasn't said much, only pointing us to a Facebook post indicating that one of the terminated women, Ingrid Hernandez, admitted that she leaked information from Castillo's office. Since then, Hernandez was hired by deputy PM, Patrick Faber and Elena Kerr was hired ta the City Council. And after that, everyone might have lived happily ever after…but in politics there are very few fairytale endings and for a handful of Ladyville residents, it's not over until Castillo relocates her office from the village. At least that's what they say. Last week Thursday these same residents came out with placards, but the protest backfired because they did not get a license to protest. But today all their papers were in order, and so they hit the streets again hoping to draw attention to an issue which they claim to be political victimization.

Snatched Up By Social Media
Last night, we showed you the man caught on camera burglarizing Spoonaz Photo Cafe and Bar. Well, that man is Derrick Garbutt, and our best information is that he is at the Belize Central Prison awaiting bail. Court details are that he was indeed arraigned yesterday on the offences of burglary and theft, and he though he pleaded not guilty, and was granted bail, he was unable to meet it. He was taken up to the Belize Central Prison, where he will remain until he or family members of his are able to make arrangments to meet the bail terms. As we reported, he broke into Spoonaz Cafe on North Front Street last week Tuesday and stole about $500 worth of top-shelf liquor, and a pellet gun. Bar owner Jeremy Spooner posted it on Facebook, asking for help in identifying him. From there he learned that Garbutt had burglarized another man's business place, and he was once again caught on camera.

The Ministry and Mr. Monima
The Ministry of Health's hiring of a Regional Manager for the North has raised eyebrows - and that's because critics are saying Audibaldo Monima is trained as a coast guard officer, not a Health Administrator. Indeed, the terms of reference for the job call for someone with a Master's degree in Public Health Administration, Health Systems Management of the equivalent. But, the CEO in the Ministry of Health says Monima has a master's degree in naval administration - which is a much contested claim. The CEO Ramon Figueroa told us Monima is on contract on a 6 month trial basis. The CEO says, quote, "one of his strengths is management, and the reason for the contract is to allow for an evaluation of his performance over the next six months." End quote. After that - if his performance is satisfactory - the recommendation to make him full time will go from the Ministry of Health to the Public Service. And while the Health CEO says Monima has a master's in naval administration, others say he only has an Associate's degree, and, at best, a training certificate from the Mexican Navy. We know that he did not embark on any course of study while he was in the Coast Guard.

No More Fuss Boledo Buyers: Lottery Machine Now Working
You all may remember the Sunday April 3rd Lottery uproar at the Magistrates Court. City residents were furious because the supervisors refused to start the game over after one of 4 balls did not pop up in its chamber. Police even had to be called out to calm the crowd. Well, as we told you, since then, the double pick machine has been used for the Sunday Lottery draw but, it won't be used much longer. That's because the Lottery machine has been fixed. Today we spoke to the machine suppliers from Smart Play International and the Service manager explained that it was a few electrical problems and improper storage that might have led to the fault in the machine. Randy Craft, Service Mgr. Smart Play Int'l: "I come down and I'll do it, a preventative maintenance pretty much go over everything in the machine. In this particular case there was an issue with the slide not opening up which we picked a few things that could've been the issue. We've replaced the parts and have been testing it most of the day and its been working fine."

Three Car Pileup On The Western
There was a multiple care pileup this afternoon on the Western Highway. It happened at 2:15 between miles 34 & 35. A white BTL Isuzu D-Max driven by Mark Anderson collided into a Cargo truck driven by Guillermo Canto of San Ignacio Town - while a black Mitsubishi Montero Sport driven by 25 year old Vanessa Canto, was also involved in the pileup. So far, police have concluded that the cargo truck was travelling towards Belmopan when the BTL Dmax - heading to the city - swerved into its lane - collided into the left driver side of the Cargo truck, snapping its front wheel and crushing the front end of the D-Max. The Black Montero was coming behind the cargo truck and also collided into the D-Max. The two men in the cargo truck complained of pain to their midsection, while Vanessa Canto who is from San Ignacio received an abrasion to the left side of her face, an injured wrist, and ankle. Another passenger, Lucio Canto had chest pain and a swollen forehead.

A Road Safety Simulation
And while that accident was dramatic and blocked highway traffic for hours, another that played out on the northern highway near the Biltmore Plaza this morning was just a simulation. Still, they made it look very real with bodies on the ground, severed arms and vehicles engulfed in flames. And if you passed there this morning you might have been aghast at the scene. But it was all a simulation for the City Emergency Management Organization. Participants in a two day workshop on road traffic accidents jotted down recommendations for the strategic response to any given accident on the road. The Liaison Officer for CEMO told us more today. Wayne Usher, Liaison Officer, CEMO: "What we did is we staged a 3 vehicle crash and we had players who role played as if they were injured, one dies and things like that. The players are the traffic departments of the transport department, traffic from Belize City, the police traffic department, we had the red cross, fire department, RF&G; insurance and BERT ambulance. What you didn't see is that Karl Heusner hospital also took part. When the ambulance reached then with the role players then they went into action as to how they would deal with those accident victims, so they played as well."

From The Archives: How Deal Stealers Scammed The System
Chinese Businessman Jian Jiang was last night’s headline – he got fined one hundred and fifty grand for an un-customed Mitsubishi SUV. As we told you, the Mitsubishi Montero he bought in 2011 had cloned the VIN number from another vehicle - one that had been legitimately licensed to a man who died in an accident. More than that, after being cloned to that vehicle’s identity, Jiang’s SUV had been momentarily registered in the name of Charles Solis – a city resident who had died many years earlier. IT is a scam orchestrated by what we called stealer-dealers, car dealers who smuggle stolen vehicles in from Guatemala and then legitimize them through corrupt means at the City traffic Department. IT’s a practice that was prevalent about 6 years ago – which is when we first reported on the dimensions of the scam. Here’s our report from 6 years ago.:.. Jules Vasquez Reporting: Last night 7News broke the story detailing how stolen vehicles are fraudulently licensed at the City’s Traffic Department. The vehicles are mostly stolen from Guatemala and then smuggled into Belize. The dealers then have to license these vehicles that did not enter the country legally and did not pay duty. That’s when they turn to the City Traffic Department.

Elrington: Guatemalans Cannot Access What They Already Claim
One word you've been hearing in the news a lot recently is "annexation". We've used it to refer to what's happened on the Sarstoon - where the Guatemalans have exercised authority over the entire river, like they own all of it. The dictionary tells us that "annexation" means to "add (territory) to one's own territory by appropriation," and that sounds about right for the Sarstoon, but it, really? Well, not according to Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington. In a comfortless semantic differentiation, he says they can't annex what they already claim to own:... Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs: "They would technically claim the whole country and so it is not correct to say that they are annex in the Sarstoon. What is the proper situation is to say that they are stopping people from using the Sarstoon, because really and truly they are claiming the whole territory as theirs."

Making Child Mental Health Matter
For most people, those childhood years are their most treasured memories, but that is not universally true. As children, some endure hardship and trauma that affect their health and well-being as adults. That was the focus of today's Mental Health Annual General Meeting. It is being held at the Princess Hotel and several Mental Health professionals are being trained to look for those warning signs that tell if a child is in distress or being abused. Today American Child and Adoloscent Psychiatrist Dr. Linda Chokroverty explained that there is a multi-generational cycle of trauma that is directly linked to mental health issues in kids. Dr. Linda Chokroverty, Child/Adolescent Psychiatrist, NY: "The main focus is to educate mental health workers and other professionals who work with families and children and to make them aware of things that may not be obvious. One of the most important things in terms of child development is prevention. If caring adults and caregivers can really provide children with the right guidance, the nutrients and the stability, even the experiences of a variety of a traumatic events that could happen in the lifespan can be made better or mitigated..."

Cops Need Counselling Too
So as you heard, the trauma that children experience can negatively impact their future, and if not treated or addressed it can lead to serious emotional and mental health problems, maybe that was the case with PC Edward Gonzalez ? He killed himself in front of the Queen Street Police Station last month. But no one knows for sure what Gonzalez's story was but Central Health Region Counselor Juliet Simmons discussed the impact of untreated stress and depression especially when it comes to police officers. Simmons also highlighted the importance of community support. Juliet Simmons, Counselor - General Health Region: "Regarding PC Gonzalez, we don't know his story unfortunately. But being a police officer, we are aware of the difficult situation they faced daily. They deal with a lot of challenges, they see a lot of crimes and from what I am aware of, I am not sure of the support system that they have. Yes there is the employee assistance program, but that's available when you seek help. So what happens to the people who are not seeking help? How do we know that our police officers are talking about what they are dealing with on a daily basis? They see a lot of violence. They deal with criminals. Are they personalizing these things? Are they taking these stress home? Are they dealing with these stress at work? I don't think our culture also encourage people to talk much about work stress. Until we are all sensitize about stress and mental health and how it affects the way we work, the way we communicate, the way we feel, when we will see a major improvement."

Bureau Of Standards Meets The Gold Standard
Most of the time when the Bureau of Standards makes the news, it's because that Government Department, which is responsible for consumer protection, is being criticized for not being able to enforce the laws against abusive merchants, usually due to lack of will, resources or personnel. Well tonight, the Bureau is making the evening news because they've become the first fully Government Department to receive international accreditation under the ISO 9001 certification. This means that the Bureau is carries stamp of approval in improved regularity frameworks, good governance, fair markets, all geared towards an increase in public confidence. That ISO certification came at the right time when the Bureau of Standards was celebrating World Accreditation Day with the rest of the world under the theme: Accreditation: A Global tool to Support Public. Today, we stopped by the Ask the Director and his Minister about the milestone:

BPP Calls For The Full Message to Go Out On Referendum
Earlier in the news, you heard Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington discussing his views on the Guatemalan's effective occupation of the Sarstoon River, saying that it is incorrect to suggest that they have annexed the Sarstoon - since they claim the whole country. And while that pronouncement is sure to raise more public ire against Elrington, the Departments under his Ministry, namely the Referendum Unit, and the International Boundaries Commisison, are coming under fire from the Belize Progressive Party. That's because there is a referendum pending in both Belize and Guatemala on whether the Guatemalan territorial claim to Belize should be taken to the International Court of Justice. The BPP says that these Foreign Ministry Departments have a responsibility to provide the general public with all information related to the pro's, the cons, and the risks of taking the claim to the ICJ. But, according to the Green Party, these Government officials have been pushing the yes vote so much, they've been ignoring the cons and the risks of going to the ICJ. Here's Deputy Party Leader Wil Maheia explaining their issue with the Government's yes campaign for the ICJ:

Hon. Tracy Not Commenting On a Prospective Challenger
And moving from the BPP to the UDP, today we asked ask Albert Representative Tracy Taegar-Panton if she is concerned about political blowback for having opposed Patrick Faber in the Convention for UDP First Deputy. She came out strong for Saldivar, appearing in television commercials and rallying her delegates, which did not escape the attention of the Faber camp. So, today, we asked her about it, and here's what she had to say: Daniel Ortiz: "Given that you've chosen to support his opponent, it is a concern of yours that come 2020, he may seek to put an opponent against you to try to solidify his own base if he should become party leader?" Hon. Tracy Taegar, Area Rep., Albert Division: "Minister Faber is our new deputy leader and he is the new Deputy Prime Minister of Belize. Certainly all of us at cabinet provide our support for him at this juncture in time. I don't know what the future will hold, but I can say this that I continue to work very diligently in my constituency..."

Police: Keeping the Community Clean and Safe
Today Northside police officers along with city council workers were out all day chopping and cleaning yards. It's part of their police cleanup campaign and this afternoon Public Relations Officer Fitzroy Yearwood told us it goes beyond just clearing bushy lots. We also spoke to a resident in the Coney Drive area who told us this initiative is just what her community needed. As you heard, there will be a second phase of this campaign where more lots in other areas will be cleared. Also as part of this community outreach program a book fair will be held on Saturday at the NARCIE parking lot.

A Marine Mural
Public murals are more than just a pretty picture, they serve to educate passers-by and offer public inspiration. That's what OCEANA and the Coalition to Save our Natural Heritage hope to do with a new one on the Belize City seawall in front of the Chateau Caribbean. IT was unveiled this afternoon, and we got a look. The principal artwork was done by Raphael Rodriguez.

CDC and Ministry of Health Ready For Rain
The rainy season is upon us, and it poses its own special public health and safety issues. Today at the Biltmore Plaza they were assisted by members of the Centers for Disease and Control in analyzing the Ministry's already existing plan of action. We found out more. James A. Banaski - Global Response Preparedness Team CDS: "This week we are working with the regional district folks within the ministry of health within the hospitals helping them review their preparedness in response plans for natural disasters specifically hurricanes as well as infectious diseases like Zika and Dengue." Emanuel Pech: "What is some of the main topics that are being discuss at the table today?" James A. Banaski - Global Response Preparedness Team CDS: "Some of the main topics being discuss today are cooperation between national emergency management organization as well as the Ministry of Health between the different hospitals as well as the district and city level emergency offices, looking at resource sharing, looking at how they support each other during the response."

Can They Contain ZIKA?
And the rains coming down translates into multiplying mosquito populations. Now the Ministry of Health doesn't have a specific ZIKA response plan but what they do have is a vector control plan of action. The Principal Public Health Inspector believes that they can use it to contain the Zika virus before it becomes an epidemic. John Bodden told us more. John Bodden, Health Disaster Focal Point: "Belize can boast of having a very good program from the 1970's. We started with a vector control program which targeted malaria specifically and then eventually it rolled out. It has been operational and it has been functioning since then. I think that has been one of the benefits for the country in terms of reducing the number of cases because it's not just today we're starting to look at implementing strategies to control the vector. It has been an ongoing work and so we find ourselves in a better position than many other countries who are just introducing a vector control program."

Primary School Footballers, Playing Like Pro's
Primary school footballers got to play like the pro's today, on artificial turf at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium in Belmopan. It's the National Primary School Championship Competition featuring the top two teams from each district, one male and one female. According to the acting president of FBB Marlon Kuylen, competitions like these are necessary to hone the skills of our future football stars. The CEO for Sustainable Development also made mention of the importance of promoting gender equality within the sports realm. Here are a few of their comments at a brief opening ceremony before the start of the competition. At the conclusion of today's games only four teams will move on to the semifinals. Those games will be played tomorrow.

Channel 5

Will Belize and Guatemala Discuss Sarstoon Protocols at OAS General Assembly?
The O.A.S. General Assembly is slated for next week. The annual session is the highest level of political engagement in the hemisphere between foreign ministers. It was stated at the [...]

Lisa Shoman Disagrees with Elrington’s Opinion on Internationalizing Border Dispute
The very strong remarks made by former Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega have gotten very positive attention locally. Vega castigated Guatemala for what he called a troubling shift in foreign [...]

Shoman Disagrees with Foreign Minister on Sarstoon Annexation
Foreign Minister Elrington also, during his extended interview, explained that allegations that Guatemala is annexing the Sarstoon are unfounded and impossible. Shoman says she respectfully disagrees. Lisa Shoman, Member [...]

So What is Guatemala’s Position on Claiming all of Belize?
And then there was that unexpected assertion from Foreign Minister Elrington on Tuesday. He claimed that based on Guatemalan’s repudiation of the 1859 Treaty, that country is now claiming the [...]

Mounting Outcry Over Appointment of New Regional Health Manager
On Wednesday night, News Five broke the story of Audibaldo Monima, Belize’s brand new Regional Health Manager for the north, including major health facilities in Orange Walk and Corozal. Almost [...]

3-way Collision on George Price Highway
There was a three vehicle pileup on the George Price Highway between mile thirty-four and thirty-five this afternoon. A white Isuzu D-max, the property of Belize Telemedia Limited, was extensively [...]

G.O.B. Loses to Belize Bank in UHS Arbritration, $36 Million Awarded
In the most recent chain of losses for the Government of Belize, a federal judge in the District of Columbia confirmed on Wednesday the enforcement of the arbitration award against [...]

Crooked Tree Fishermen Halted on Haul Day!
Haul Day is a big event in the Crooked Tree, Belize District. It allows fisher folks to catch fish in the lagoon within the wildlife sanctuary for their own consumption [...]

B.P.P. Says No to ICJ, Yes to UN Security Council
Amid the ongoing territorial dispute between Belize and Guatemala, the Belize Progressive Party has been unwavering in its position that a resolution at the International Court of Justice is not [...]

Is There an Amendment to the Referendum Act in the Offing?
Of concern to the B.P.P. is recent talk that the Referendum Act will be amended. This, according to Bobby Lopez, has raised the ire of the party and, if necessary, [...]

B.P.P. No Longer to Disclose Source of Campaign Finances
The issue of campaign financing is one that the B.P.P. has been wanting to address since entering the political fray. While neither of the established mass parties are willing to [...]

Lisa Shoman Comments on Sarstoon Situation
The Sarstoon has been a fixture in the newscast for months, but what’s the latest on the river? Can we go there without being stopped, or not? The P.U.P. did [...]

No Sleeping at the Wheel on ICJ Resolution
And finally, there’s the International Court of Justice. There’s no certainty that the dispute will end up in that forum and if it does, that is years in the future. [...]

Belize Offers Condolences on Loss of Boxing Legend
This Friday, flags will be flying at half mast on official buildings to pay tribute to the legendary boxer, Muhammed Ali, who passed away on June third. The government announced [...]

U.S. Deportee Fined for not Checking in with GSU
A deportee, who was sent back to Belize from the U.S., will have to pay a fine for not reporting to the GSU as required. Twenty-five year old Keith Flowers [...]

Nikolai James to Stand Trial for Unlawful Sexual Intercourse with Minor
Today, a preliminary inquiry determined that a Belize City security guard will have to stand trial at the Supreme Court for the offense of unlawful sexual intercourse of a girl [...]

OCEANA Unveils Belize City Mural
World Ocean’s Day was celebrated on Wednesday. OCEANA headed the activities to promote awareness of a healthy environment. Today, a mural of Belize’s natural wonders was unveiled in a prominent [...]

Healthy Living Looks At A Condition Affecting Men
It’s not the kind of diagnosis that men, who are the least frequent to visit the doctor, would go pursuing. In fact, the symptoms are so common place that most [...]

CTV3

Appointment Of New Northern Regional Health Manager Raising Questions
Thirty year old Audibaldo Monima Junior, former coastguard officer is now the new Regional Health Manager for the northern region. As we told you last night Monima’s appointment is already raising eyebrows and a whole lot of questions and that’s because he apparently is not qualified for the post since he has no background or experience in the health sector. While the terms of reference for the position calls for a master’s degree in public health administration; health systems management or equivalent and a minimum work experience of five years in public health administration, finance and human resource management, Monima only holds an associate’s degree in business administration from the Corozal Junior College and a certificate from the Mexican Navy. So why was he awarded the top post? Well, for one we understand that his contract was approved by Minister of Health Pablo Marin one month ago. Two….and this is according to the CEO in the Ministry of Health Dr. Ramon Figueroa, Monima has a masters in Naval Command and he is on contract and trail basis. The contract will allow for evaluation of performance over the next six months.

Elrington Weighs In The Case Of Mennonite Report
Two weeks ago Mennonite Businessman Roger Plett shared the story of being abducted in the Green Hills Area of Spanish Lookout and taken across the border, allegedly by the Guatemalan military. Plett also added that he was tied up and his tractor destroyed in the process of providing service to an NGO on the Guatemalan side of the border to contain a forest fire. Police’s investigation on the case concluded and they found that Plett’s story was, in fact, accurate. However, GOB did not protest the actions of the Guatemalans and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Honorable Wilfred Elrington, who was not in the country when the incident occurred, says the entire incident was all just an act of neighborly disposition. Honorable Wilfred Elrington – Minister of Foreign Affairs:"They were fighting fire, the fire got away and the fire was moving from Belize into Guatemalan territory and the Mennonites had equipment to help to stop the fire and was invited by a Guatemalan NGO to assist to lend them the equipment to assist and they resisted and the Guatemalan NGO decide to take self-help and take it from them and decided to use it to clear off the area to make sure the fire would not go any further into Guatemala..."

Guatemalan Children To Keep Studying In Belize
There are a number of Guatemalan students who travel into Belize on a weekly basis with the sole purpose of attending school in Benque Viejo Del Carmen in the Cayo District located just across the border which separates Belize and Melchor de Mencos. And while there is an on-going territorial dispute between both Countries which has resulted in a number of hostile confrontations mainly over the Sarstoon River, there is presently heightened scrutiny on all activities that occur between the two countries, which brings GOB’s decision to freely allow these students to enter Belize, into question. During an interview with the media on Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Patrick Faber was asked about the reason behind this decision and this is what he had to say about it.

PlusTV

17 year old escaped gun shots
A 24-year-old Belize City resident, Alston Smith, has been arrested and charged by police for the offense of ‘aggravated assault’. This is after he allegedly he fired shots at a 17-year-old male minor who told police that on Tuesday evening at around 4:45 p.m., he was in front of his house when Smit...

Fraudulent Investment Schemes suspected in Belize
Plus news has received several reports of a potential pyramid scheme occurring in the country of Belize; beginning somewhere in the north and making its way to the cayes and other parts of the country. According to the reports we have heard, the scheme targets women who are approached to make an “in...

Road safety: why some drivers still don’t get it
The 4th annual symposium on disaster management sponsored by the Central Emergency Management Organization (CEMO) in Belize City has been a staple associated with the start of the hurricane season. Previous events each dealt with a different aspect of hurricane preparedness: overall emergency manage...

World Bank predicts small growth for Belize economy
“The Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region is expected to suffer a second consecutive year of recession in 2016, the first double-year contraction in more than 30 years.” That is a direct quote from the World Bank’s latest Economic Prospects Report. The report says “Poor weather conditions in Bel...

Businessman did not pay duty for vehicle
Jian Huan “Allan” Jiang was found responsible for not paying Customs duties on an alleged contraband white Mitsubishi Montero vehicle sold to him. Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser thus imposed a fine of $149,085.00, more than three times the 30 thousand dollar value he says he paid for the vehicle. T...

Uncle and Nephew are nabbed by Fisheries Department in possession of hicatee
Yesterday we told you about the hicatee bust made by fisheries department. As we told you, according to Belizean law, no individual should have more than three hicatees per person and no vehicle should be carrying more than five hicatees at a time. There are also limits on the size of female hicatee...

Fishermen nabbed for closed season lobster
Lobster season is closed from February 15 to June 14 of any given year and while the opening of the season is only six days away, two fishermen and a watchman who worked with them apparently could not wait and were caught with 142 of the crustaceans. The Fisheries Department picked up 54 year old Fi...

The Guardian

Hon Patrick Faber is new Deputy Prime Minister
On Tuesday June 7, Hon. Patrick Faber made his way to the Belize House in Belmopan where he was anxiously awaited by a throng of supporters and family members for him to be sworn in as the United Democratic Party’s next Deputy Prime Minister. Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture, Faber was elected as Deputy Party Leader at a Special National Convention of the UDP on Sunday May 29. As a result of this election he was the natural successor to Hon. Gaspar Vega who had resigned from the position of Deputy Party Leader in March. Being the Deputy Party Leader it was only natural that he be sworn in as the Deputy Prime Minister.

Ready Call must pay $140,000 for workers’ Social Security
Ready Call Centre failed to pay Social Security contributions for its 500 plus workers in the months of February, March and April of this year; therefore, Chief Executive Officer Nubia Ramirez Moreno was dragged before the Belize City Magistrates Court on Tuesday, June 7. On Tuesday, May 31, Inspector Lawrence Lopez made a report against Ready Call Center which showed that they were in arrears of over $100,000 in Social Security contribution payments. As a result, the CEO, Nubia Ramirez Moreno, was contacted and subsequently summons to appear in court. Moreno was unrepresented when she appeared before Senior Magistrate Sharon Frazer. She was read a single charge of failure to pay Social Security contributions on and before the 15 of each month in respect of their employees for the months of February, March and April 2016. Moreno wasted no time and pleaded guilty to the charge.

Gapi tells off Jimmy
In his very last act as Deputy Prime Minister, Gaspar Vega used his high office to further the country's diplomatic agenda to raise awareness on the recent difficulties that Belize has been having with Guatemala over the territorial dispute. To raise the stakes even higher, Guatemala's President, Jimmy Morales, who has accused the Belize Defence Force, was present. That was still not a deterrent to DPM Vega, who minced no words and delivered Belize's message with the same confidence he would if he were speaking to his PUP opponents at a House Meeting. The stage for this word sparring match between Vega and Morales was the 7th Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Association of Caribbean States. This event took place from June 2 to June 4 in Havana, Cuba, where majority of the 25 Member Countries made representation, Each delegate was given an opportunity to address their fellow colleagues. When it was Belize's turn, Gaspar Vega took the rostrum and used a portion of his 8 minute speech to talk about the concerning attempts that Guatemala has been making to enforce their claimed ownership over the Sarstoon.

UDP dominates village councils
Over the next 6 weeks 190 villages will be going to the polls to cast their ballots to select representatives in their villages. Each council is comprised of a chairman and 6 councillors. The first round of elections got underway on Sunday June 5 and the United Democratic Party is dominating these elections. in the first week 43 villages selected their council of those the UDP won the posts of chairman for 26 councils, 14 were for the PUP and 3 are independent chairpersons. While that is the count for chairmen, the UDP has a majority control of 28 villages that is it either holds the chairman and 3 or more councilors or 4 or more councilors without the chairman. In this first round of elections it is notable that the UDP, for the first time won the entire slate in Gales Point Manatee under the leadership of Hon. Beverly Castillo, the UDP representative for the Belize Rural Central Constituency. Also of note is that the UDP slate defeated the PUP in the village of Independence which had a slate comprising of the well to do PUP Zabaneh family.

CEMO focuses on road safety in disaster preparations
The City Emergency Management Organization (CEMO) has assembled representatives from various emergency response agencies for a two day symposium on road safety strategies in municipalities. CEMO now holds the symposium annually at the beginning of the hurricane season as part of its comprehensive disaster management preparation exercise. This year the theme for the event is “Analyzing Road Traffic Accidents and Safety Strategies in Municipalities”. The event is being hosted at the Biltmore Plaza on Wednesday and Thursday, June 7-8. Participating in the event are representatives of municipal governments across the country, first responders, shelter caretakers, members of the business community that provide services relating to road traffic such as Caribbean Tires, and law enforcement personnel.

Belize Ready to Host CODICADER 2016
On Friday the 3rd June a delegation representing four Central American countries being Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama and El Salvador arrived in Belize via the Philip Goldson International Airport. The delegation was made up of heads of mission of the aforementioned countries. Costa Rica was represented by Robert Solano and Alfonso Obando; Nicaragua by Gustavo Arguello Roa and Javier Jiron; El Salvador by Roxana Calderon and Ernesto Hernandez and Panama by Hermes Ortega and Ricardo Torres. These heads of mission were in Belize to meet with members of the CODICADER technical commission and to assess Belize’s readiness to host the much anticipated CODICADER games. Upon arrival at the airport they were greeted by the minister responsible for sports, the Honorable Elodio Aragon Jr., C.E.O. Adele Catzim and the Belize delegation consisting of Julio Llinas – Technical Commission Rep, Director of Sports - Ritchell Dominguez and Belize’s Head of Mission - Deon Sutherland. A press conference was held after which the delegation departed for Orange Walk Town after a brief visit to the Altun Ha Mayan Site. In Orange Walk Town the group visited the Orange Walk Sporting Complex where volleyball will be played.

Condolences to the McNab Family
The staff of the Guardian Newspaper, Wave Radio and United Democratic Party Secretariat wish to extend condolences to the family and friends of the lovely Rosalee Gomez McNab who passed away on Tuesday, June 7, after a long and brave battle with cancer. Miss Rosalee was diagnosed with stage four uterus cancer five years ago. She had just thrown a party for children from across Belize City in 2011 when she returned home to Los Angeles and had to visit the doctor to have fluids drained from her back. She then had to make a second visit three days later to have fluids drained from her back again. Three pints of fluids was drained from her back in that three day span and further tests showed she had cancer and the tumor was pressing against her lungs. There were no previous signs of illness before she was diagnosed with stage four uterus cancer.

Two Cristo Rey Villages now have a Village Council
Cristo Rey Village in the Cayo District now has its own Village Council Team. The office of the Hon. Rene Montero in Cayo Central has announced that the Cristo Rey Village Council Team is now lead by an able Elmer Juarez. “Looking forward to continue working with the wonderful residents of Cristo Rey. Delivering Cristo Rey, once again for the great United Democratic Party,” states the Post from the Hon. Rene Montero in Cayo Central. The village saw it fit for the endorsement of the UDP Village council slate as residents are at this point able to have better access in and out of their village with the upgrade of their road. Cristo Ray Village in the Corozal District also elected a UDP team to represent them in the Village.

Evan X Hyde vs Albert Einstein
In his piece: “From the Publisher”on page 13 of the Amandala, issue No.2992; dated Sunday, June 5, 2016; Evan X Hyde wrote:“…nowadays, what I do is write columns and editorials...” Ya-Ya and Marisol have been on KREM TV/Radio with verbalizations such as “X said…”, “X suggested…”, “X showed…” All the above confirmed what I have been suspecting: X is the hidden hand encouraging word dullard Mose, instigating Wil’s provocations and prompting the warmongering drumbeat. X really cannot seriously hope to put dodo bird Cordel on the throne, so he probably covets a PUP win to facilitate Kremandala paying GST, staff wages and their other huge outstanding bills. The national issue ‘Guatemalan Claim’ has no place in such financial scheming:dangerous, disingenuous, disgraceful, utterly shameful, unforgivable, inexcusable and unpatriotic! Remember every seven year old knows that “PUP da big thief.”Cordel and baby vouchers! X and Mose are fighting for their supper; but KREMANDALA must never play with the lives of Belizeans – war is no joke! I will fight more aggressively than Mose, X and Sandra…but I do not need them to egg me on!

Guardian Group driving down price of insurance
“We are going to drive down the cost of insurance in Belize. I can guarantee you that,” said Abel Simpson of Simpson’s Insurance limited at the launching of a partnership with regional giant Guardian General Insurance Limited. Drivers are always complaining about the high price on vehicle insurance policies. Home owners do not complain as much because home insurance is not mandatory so they simply don’t get any. Therefore, after natural or man made disasters, people who lose their home are often left with nothing to fall back on. How many times on the local news do stories on fire end with “the home and its contents were not insured”? People do not live in uninsured homes because they don’t see the need for insurance. They live in uninsured homes because they cannot afford to do otherwise. Well, Abel Simpson is pledging to make insurance affordable – at least more affordable than it is today. On Wednesday, June 08, the Guardian Group formerly launched its new brand and strategic partnership with Simpson’s Insurance Agency Limited at the Biltmore Plaza Hotel. At the launch, Simpson explained that they will be able to bring down insurance cost due to the size of Guardian’s client base. Guardian Insurance has been in Belize for a couple decades but just like branches in other regions it operated as an individual entity with its own client base.

Gwen Lizarraga High School to undergo renovation & extension
Commencement of work for the rehabilitation of computer labs and substitution of the woodwork and metalwork labs of Gwen Lizarraga High School, Belize City, will be held today at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday June 8, 2016. The Government of Belize in recognition of the critical role of education for social, economic, cultural, environmental and political development; is funding the rehabilitation of computer labs and substitution of the woodwork and metalwork labs of Gwen Lizarraga High School (GLHS) at an estimated cost of $698,226.58 courtesy of a loan from the Caribbean Development Bank. The completion of the school project means that approximately 551 students who attend day classes; and 380 who attend evening classes at GLHS will now have access to a better learning environment in a new spacious and modern setting; thus enabling the country’s future leaders to further boost their vocational and entrepreneurial skills training in Information Technology, carpentry and metalwork. This project will also empower students with knowledge, skills and values.

Hugo Patt continues to deliver for his people
Village council elections are now in full swing and the UDP continues to dominate these elections. But elections are won because of hard work and such is the case in Corozal North where the UDP won three of the elections which were held. Hon. Hugo Patt delivered Yo Chen by way of an endorsement for the UDP slate. In San Pedro only the chairman was contested and in that the UDP chairman defeated the PUP candidate by a margin of 3 to 1. In Cristo Rey where the entire slate was contested, the UDP also put a trouncing on the PUP. Looking at the results so far in that constituency, it is showing that the people are satisfied with the work of the UDP and our representative there, Hon. Hugo Patt. And why would they not be? Visiting the area it can clearly be seen that significant investment is taking place. In Cristo Rey a health center is under construction which will serve the people of both San Pedro and Cristo Rey. That project is being implemented through the Social Investment Fund. Meanwhile in San Pedro a pre-school is also under construction. This comes by way of the European Union's Accompanying Measures for Sugar.

Belizeans walk for peace In Melchor
Belizeans and Guatemalans live along the border towns of Benque Viejo Del Carmen and Melchor De Mencos in a very cordial and an almost symbiotic relationship. Many of the residents on both sides are related and an even greater amount are friends. Ironically, the residents closest to the “rival country” are the ones furthest away from the dispute. Benquenos travel to Melchor routinely for shopping, leisure activities and entertainment. Melchor residents cross the border daily to go to school and visit friends and family. They are not separated by an invisible border line; instead, they are united by culture and live in codependent societies.

21st Meeting of the Coordinating Group of Pesticides Control Boards of the Caribbean continues to be held in Belize
The 21st Meeting of the Coordinating Group of Pesticides Control Boards of the Caribbean (CGPC) continued to be held on Wednesday, and will continue until Friday at the San Ignacio Resort Hotel in San Ignacio, Cayo. The event began on Monday of this week under the theme: “A changing climate! A changing world! Responsible pest and pesticide management – our responsibility.” Funding for these meetings are provided by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) project being implemented by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA). As part of the schedule, Gisel Correa, Project Manager of the Belize Chemicals and Waste Management Project BCWMP gave an overview of that project. In 2015, the Department of the Environment DOE started the BCWMP as a National project that is being implemented as a partnership initiative between the GEF/UNDP and the Government of Belize.

PUP loses again!
Although it may sound like a rhetorical statement , it is one the we must repeat at every opportunity we get to remind the People's United Party, that apart from those little enclaves of PUP diehards, the people of Belize don't want them. The last time the PUP won an election of any sort was on 5th March 2003. They won then, but even in that win the UDP had more than doubled the amount of seats it had before the election and had polled some 13,000 more voters than it had polled in the previous election in 1998 .While the PUP on the other hand improved by polling only 2,000 more than it did in the previous election in 1998. However it's percentage dropped from 59.67% to 52.16 for a drop of 7.51 percentage points. So from back then one could have seen that the UDP was getting stronger and was gaining the trust of the Belizean Electorate. PUP has not won as much as a marble contest since 2003. For clarity let's take a look at the elections they have lost during their losing streak .They lost the then Cayo South By-election in 2003, then General Elections in 2008, 2012 and 2015. During that time they also lost the By- election for Cayo North East in 2015 and the By-election for Dangriga \Sarawee \Hope Creek in 2015. Let's not forget that they lost the Municipal Elections in 2006, 2009, 2012 and 2015. They also lost at the Village Council level in 2004, 2007, 2010 and 2013.

PUP’s visits the Sarstoon: nothing to see!
The Opposition Party finally made itself useful for once in a long time, and they went to the Sarstoon River, the southern-most boundary between Belize and Guatemala that has been excessively discussed, much to the over-fatigue of the general public. Their trip took place on Friday, June 3, and rather than try to turn it into a media circus, which is a favorite tactic of theirs, they went mostly without any attention from the press except, Channel 7 News and Krem News, who found out about the trip very late and invited themselves. Those on the trip included the Party's senior leaders, including Opposition Leader John Briceño, and Senator Eamon Courtenay, the PUP representative which makes up a part of Belize's delegation on all things related to the Belize/Guatemala bilateral relationship. They were allowed to dock at the Belize Security Forces Joint Forward Operating Base at the mouth of the Sarstoon, where they took a tour and spoke with the soldiers stationed at the base. After familiarizing themselves with the Sarstoon Forward Operating Base, they took a tour of Sarstoon Island.

San Antonio Village in Cayo to have Health Centre
Some 2000 residents of San Antonio Village in Cayo, will soon have easier access to health services. Ground-breaking ceremonies to officially commence the construction of the new San Antonio Health Centre were held at the Community Centre in San Antonio village, Cayo District on Friday evening of last week. Present for the occasion on Friday was the Hon. Rene Montero, Representative of the Cayo Central Division as well as the Hon. Pablo Marin, Minister of Health. Both Government Ministers spent time to interact with the villagers, the final beneficiaries of the health centre. Also present was William Lamb Jr, the Executive Director of the Belize Social Investment Fund. The Government of Belize, steadfast in its continued commitment to address the basic needs of Belizeans, in the areas of water, sanitation, education and health, is funding the San Antonio Health Centre project at an estimated cost of $623,912.30 through a loan from the Caribbean Development Bank.

Strategic moves for San Ignacio Police
Security within the jurisdiction of the San Ignacio Police Formation is now being taken with a strategic mindset and is evidence based. Now over four months at the helm, , Officer in Charge of the San Ignacio Police Formation has been working to improve a system of collaboration among stakeholders by continuously involving them in the strategic planning and policing of their community. Over the past few months, Anthony Richard Rosado has been meeting with members of the People’s Coalition of Cayo PCC as well as the Cayo Neighborhood Watch Association CNWA in that quest towards a community approach to policing. As a son of San Ignacio, Anthony Rosado has also been involved with several meet and greet sessions with members of the community to gauge the security needs and to build relations with community members. “I intend to engage the community and promote and institutionalize community policing and expanding all community outreach programs presently in place by the Commissioner of Police,” states Rosado, who is now a Doctoral Candidate at Edinburgh University pursuing a doctorate in Strategic Management.

Hon. Gaspar Vega’s address at the 7th Association of Caribbean States Summit in Havana, Cuba
A warm and resounding thank you President Raúl Castro Ruiz... It would be remiss of me not to note the tremendous warmth and good will that has been extended by you personally, your Government and the Cuban people on the occasion of this 7th ACS Summit. Secretary General Ambassador Alfonso Múnera, Distinguished Heads of State, Ministers, Delegates, All. I believe gratitude is also in order for the outgoing Chairman – not only was the business of our organization conducted with finesse, but with a horizon of a better positioned ACS for the future. Belize of course applauds the election of Ambassador June Soomer to the position of Secretary General, and as was mentioned by Foreign Minister Elrington when he introduced her yesterday, we have no doubts that she will continue the tradition of excellence set by our present Secretary General Múnera. We believe that Dr. Sooner’s invaluable experience in Caricom, will allow us, within the ACS, to capitalize on regional strengths, whilst working within the framework of a rejuvenated and repositioned association.

Rising Punta Star killed during robbery in Dangriga
John Jay Rodriguez, the 35 year-old well-known musician from Dangriga Town, was gunned down and killed by a group of armed thieves in a robbery gone bad. The incident happened on Friday, June 3, at around 11 p.m., at Havana Club and Entertainment Center, located on Havana Street in Dangriga. Police initial investigation is that Rodriguez was gambling at one of the shop's machines, along with 3 other customers. That's when 3 robbers, one of whom was armed with a handgun, entered the establishment. The armed assailant immediately demanded that the on duty cashier open the door behind the counter, his intention was clear that they were trying to rob the place. He attempted to kick open the door, but he was unable to. For reasons still unknown, that gunman then turned his gun on the 4 patrons and fired a single shot. The bullet grazed 38 year-old Stanley Venai, one of those men, and continued along its path, hitting Rodriguez in the left side of the face. That injury was fatal, and he collapsed right where he was standing in the store.

BDF camp coordinator indicted for sex with camper, 14
BDF Private and 2015 Camp Coordinator, Kenneth Gary Swazo, 30, has been committed to stand trial in the Supreme Court of Belize for allegedly having sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old camper in August of last year. This ruling was handed down by Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith after a preliminary inquiry concluded on Thursday, June 2. Swaso was unrepresented at the PI and the prosecutor in the case, Inspector Egbert Castillo, submitted as many as ten statements and six documentary evidence which the crown is relying on to prove the charge against him. Private Swazo told the court that he has documents and witnesses that can prove he was not even at the camp where it is alleged that he first met the minor. He says he will be calling four witnesses to prove his point. According to reports, Swazo met the girl at the 2015 BDF Summer Camp and kept in touch after the camp was over. According to reliable sources and police report, on August 20, 2015, Swazo took the girl to a hotel located on the Phillip Goldson Highway, formerly known as Gulf Hotel, where they had sexual intercourse.

Salvadoran accused of sexually assaulting an infant
Salvadoran national, Julio Alexander Devas, 42, is on remand at the Belize Central Prison after he was charged with one count of sexual assault upon a minor who is only 7 years and 4 months old. Allegations are that on May 18, 2016, Devas intentionally and unlawfully penetrated the mouth of the minor against her will and the penetration was sexual in nature. Devas appeared in court before Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith on Monday, June 6, where he was provided with a court interpreter since he claims he spoke little English. After the single charge was read to him, Devas pleaded not guilty. Prosecutor in the case, Inspector Egbert Castillo, objected to bail on the grounds of the prevalence of the offense and the high possibility that if granted bail Devas will interfere with the victim who is of a very tender age.

Fishermen caught with lobsters out of season
The Fisheries Department caught 3 men at a camp in possession of 142 lobsters in the closed season. The lobster season is from February 15 to June 14 of any given year and while the opening of the season is only six days away anyone fishing for the crustacean before the season opens is guilty of an offence. The three men, identified as 54 year old fisherman, Jose Agustin Garrido, of Consejo Village, Corozal District, along with 53 year old Armando Ramirez, a fisherman of Chula Vista, Corozal District and 50 year old Watchman for Port of Stuck Camp, Jose Rodriguez, were all charged jointly with possession of 142 undersized lobsters. They trio appeared before Magistrate Carlon Mendoza where they were all read the charge jointly. Ramirez and Rodriguez pleaded not guilty to the charge, while Jose Agustin Garrido wasted no time and pleaded guilty to the charge. He was fined $200 for the offense, which carries a maximum penalty of $500 and was additionally slapped with a fine of $20 for each lobster he was found with. That amounted to $2,840 plus the $200 fine and $5 cost of court.

Another taxi man murdered in Belmopan
A taxi man has fallen prey to the criminal element in Belmopan. Police in the Nation’s Capital visited the West Belmopan Area in Belmopan City, Cayo District on Wednesday afternoon of last week where on arrival they observed the motionless body of a Creole descent male person partially nude and wearing a grey in color underwear lying face up in a pool of dry blood. The man was found on the steps of a cream in color mobile home located in an isolated area of Belmopan. The body was in an initial state of decomposition and had one apparent gunshot wound to the abdomen, behind the left side of the back and to the left side of the head. The body was later identified to be that of Lionel Theodore Gillett “Grey,” a 45 year old Belizean Taxi Driver of West Belmopan.

Uncle and nephew caught with Hicatees
A former special constable who was also the former driver of a Supreme Court judge was caught in Lord’s Bank in possession of hicatees while authorities found his nephew at his Biscayne house in possession of 12 more female hicatees. The two were arraigned in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court and charged with separate fisheries offenses. 56 year old Goldburn Seguro, a resident of #7B Freetown Road was arraigned before Magistrate Carlon Mendoza where he was read one count of possession of a female hicatee greater than 17.2 inches as well as one count of possession of a female hicatee less than 15.2 inches. On June 7, 2016 at the junction of Lord’s Bank, Seguro was found in possession of one female hicatee measuring 17.2 inches in length or 43 centimeters. He pleaded not guilty to both charges and since there was no objection to bail by the Fisheries Prosecutor, Callman Hall, he was offered bail in the sum of $1,500 plus one surety of the same amount.

Man in Belmopan escapes fatal injury
A man escaped fatal injury at his home in Belmopan on Thursday morning of last week. Russell Arnold, a Belizean vendor of Colombia Street reported that whilst inside his house along with his wife and four children, he heard several shots. On hearing the shots the 39 year old noted that the projectiles were hitting his house, so he stooped down and whilst in that position, felt something warm coming from his forehead. He then discovered that his head was bleeding. He did not see who fired the shots and does not know why his house may have been targeted. Belmopan Police have visited the residence of Russel Arnold and investigations continue.

Ervin Reneau convicted of double murder
Ervin Alexander Reneau, 45, will spend the rest of his life behind bars after he was convicted of two counts of murder for killing David Allan Longsworth, 39, son of well known businessman Pastor Howell Longsworth, and security guard Edgar Ayala on November 30, 2010. According to reports, Reneau went to the Texaco Gas Station where he held Ayala at gunpoint and shot him. He then went over to Longsworth’s vehicle, where he was with his wife and two children, and executed him before leaving the scene. It is believed that Reneau shot Longsworth because he saw him shoot and kill the security guard. Reneau’s trial concluded on Monday, June 6, 2016, in the court room of Supreme Court Justice Adolph Lucas. Before handing down his judgement, Justice Lucas said, “I am sure he shot and killed Longsworth and Ayala on November 30, 2010.”

Verdict for Accused Murderer of Samuel Price
Justice Adolph Lucas has reserved judgment in the Shane Gillett, 30, murder trial for June 15. Gillett is accused of killing 84-year-old Samuel Price, brother of Rt. Hon. George Cadle Price in April of 2011. On Saturday, April 16, 2011, Price’s grand nephew, who usually goes to his home located at Mile 5 ½ on the Northern Highway stumbled upon his lifeless body inside the bathroom. Police investigators said that the senior citizen is believed to have been bludgeon to death. He was found slouched in one of the bathrooms over a tub with apparent signs of violence to the head. Price had fractures to the skull and swelling to the brain. His eye socket was shattered and his kidney was damaged from a hit to the body. At the time of his death, Price lived alone at a secluded area called Tarpon Cove located at Mile 5 ½ on the Northern highway. Police said that his home had been targeted in the past by robbers and they believe this was a case of burglary turned murder.

Police officer beats murder charge
Sergeant. Julio Shal, 43, is a free man after he was cleared of charges of murder and manslaughter in the death of escaped prisoner, Tyson Rodriguez. Shal was found not guilty of murder before Justice Denis S. Hanomansingh in a trial by judge. On Thursday, June 2, Justice Hanomansingh ruled that there is not sufficient evidence for a court of law to be satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that Sergeant Shal committed any unlawful act or used any unlawful force to cause Tyson Rodriguez’s death. Shal, an officer attached to the Placencia Police Station, was charged with murder for the death of Tyson Rodriguez, the main suspect in the home invasion of an elderly Canadian couple, which happened in November of 2013 on the Placencia peninsula. Rodriguez was caught some 15 hours before his death all the way in the Corozal district. He was allegedly one of two men Corozal police spotted in a vehicle stolen from the Canadian couple. Police believed that he was either involved in or had information on the culprits who allegedly terrorized the Canadian retirees at their house in the Plantation area of the peninsula.

Special Branch finds weapon in San Ignacio
Both a weapon and ammunition were found in San Ignacio Town last week. The Special Branch Tactical Response Squad conducted a search in an overgrown lot in the Shawville Area, Cayo District on Thursday of last week. The proactive search netted a black in color Jericho 941F brand 9mm pistol with 1 metal magazine containing 3 bronze in color Luger brand 9mm rounds of ammunition. No one was found in the area so it was labeled and deposited as found property. The People’s Coalition of Cayo PCC and the Cayo Neighborhood Watch Association CNWA have in the past expressed concern with abandoned lots and the resultant overgrown bushes. Criminals can use these lots to hide illicit material as well as hide from the Police. Through the efforts of members from the Belize Defense Force, these lots with high bushes were cleared last year in the Trapiche Area in Santa Elena, which led to a lowering of crime in the area.

Roaring Creek Grace Kennedy dominates Cayo Softball Competition
The Cayo Softball Association 2016 Raymond Garbutt Senior Female Competition continued on Sunday 5th June, out at the Joan Garbutt Softball Stadium in Esperanza Village with three games on the schedule. In the first game played, Unitedville Rebels defeated the Belmopan Capital City Emeralds by the score of 26-3. The winning pitcher was Nikita Perez and the losing pitcher was Leonellie Aldana. In game two, the Belmopan Bandits defeated Camalote by the score of 7-3. The winning pitcher was Laniesha Jones and the losing pitcher was Shandi Orellano. And in the final game of the day, Roaring Creek Grace Kennedy won over the Espernza Wolverines by the score of 6-0. The winning pitcher was Lesandra Guy and the losing pitcher was Olivia Miralda.

Return Of Olympic Baseball, Softball At Tokyo 2020 Games Supported By Ioc Executive Board
Baseball, softball among new, youth-based sports package advancing to a final vote at IOC Session in August LAUSANNE, Switzerland -- The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) today welcomed the announcement by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board to support the inclusion of baseball and softball among a new sports package for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. A final vote on the composition of the sports programme for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will be taken at the IOC Session in Rio de Janeiro in August, and, if approved, it would constitute “the most comprehensive evolution of the Olympic programme in modern history,” the IOC stated. “It is an honour for our global sport -- and a great day for our millions of male and female athletes, and fans around the world -- to be represented within this new and innovative youth-focused Olympic sports package,” said WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari. “On behalf of our sport, we thank IOC President Thomas Bach for his Agenda 2020 vision -- which has sparked this Olympic evolution -- and the entire IOC Executive Board for today’s recommendation.

Belize District Interoffice Basketball Competition opens
The Belize District Basketball Association 2016 Interoffice competition opened on Friday 3 June, with two games on the schedule. In the first game played, Heritage Bank defeated Bowen 7 Bowen Ltd by the score of 69-59. The top scorers for Heritage Bank were Kurt Burgess with 15 points, 17 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals and Felix Martinez with 14 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 steals. For the Bowen 7 Bowen Team, the top scorers were, Kadeem Olivera with 32 points, 3 rebounds and 3 steals. In the second game of the night, the Belize Bank Bulldogs defeated INFOTEL by the score of 75-72. The top scorers for the Belize Bank Bulldogs were Rupert Brown with 17 points, 6 rebounds and an assist; Brian White who also scored 17 points, and grabbed 14 rebounds and an assist and Roscoe Rhys with 16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals. Meanwhile, the top scorers for INFOTEL were Earl Johnson with 27 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists and Elvis Olivera with 15 points, 11 rebounds and a steal.

Belize Elementary School girls and St. John Vianney School boys won the Belize City Primary Schools Football competition
The 2015-2016 Belize City Primary Schools Football Competition came to an end on Thursday 2nd June with the championship games played at the MCC Grounds. In the first place game in the girls’ competition, Belize Elementary School defeated St. John Vianney School by the score of 1-0. The goal for Belize Elementary School was scored by Michaelen Hyde. In the third place game played in the girls’ competition, St. Martin De Porres School defeated St. John’s Primary School by the score of 2-0. The goals for St. Martin De Porres School were scored by Reneisha Reneau and Shantel Flowers. In the boys’ championship game, St. John Vianney School defeated Belize Elementary School by the score of 3-1. The goals for St. John Vianney School were scored by Juan Canek, Michael Palacio and Christian Caceres. For Belize Elementary School, the lone goal was scored by Jonah Chebat.

National Olympic Committee hosted Olympic Day Run
The Belize Olympic Committee hosted its annual Olympic Day Run on Sunday 5th June, 2016 in downtown Belize City. The Olympic Day Run is the highlight of the activities use to commemorate Olympic Day which is observed on June 23rd each year. This year’s run attracted some 199 participants in five major categories, which included infants, juniors, open and masters in both female and male.

St. John Vianney girls and San Pedro Roman Catholic boys to represent the Belize District at the National Primary Schools Football Championships
The Belize District Primary Schools Football competition came to an end on Monday 6th June, 2016, with the finals played at the MCC Grounds. In the girls’ championship game, St. John Vianney School representing Belize City defeated San Pedro Roman Catholic School in sudden death penalty kicks by the score of 3-2. The goals for St. John Vianney School were scored by Starlett Faber, Christie Jeffries and Shanese Woods. Meanwhile, the goals for San Pedro Roman Catholic School were scored by Jeinna Galves and Erica Pop. In the boys’ championship game, San Pedro Roman Catholic School defeated Hattieville Government School by the score of 3-2 in regulation time. The goals for San Pedro Roman Catholic School were scored by Ian Pou. For Hattieville Government School, the goals were scored by Jermaine Garnett and Jaheed Baptist. St. John Vianney School girls and San Pedro Roman Catholic School boys will represent the Belize District at the National Primary Schools Football Championship scheduled for Thursday and Friday June 9th and 10th respectively in Belmopan.

The Belize Times

Vanessa Champagne Paris Died of Natural Causes
A post-mortem examination conducted on Tuesday has confirmed that transgender individual, known to most as “Vanessa Champagne Paris”, but who was born Porfelio Rodriguez Jr., died of respiratory complications, officially labelled as ‘bronchial aspiration.’ The 21 year old passed away at around 10:00pm Friday while being treated at the Southern Regional Hospital. Family members, friends, observers and even gossip mongers were anxiously awaiting the results of the examination. The youth lived a troubled life in Independence with his father, constantly dealing with discrimination, verbal and physical attacks and depression. Following his death, reports immediately circulated that he had been poisoned, and shortly after that reports came out that he had committed suicide by ingesting some type of toxic fluid, reportedly gramaxone. Friends told the media that he had been depressed since the death of his mother two weeks before.

THE WONDERER!
You must be wondering what this is all about. Years ago we met a middle-aged surveyor by profession who had all the energy we wished we had now. He was always wondering and wandering around our nation of Belize. He was involved in everything, he knew about everything and always wondered what next, who next, etc. This column is in his honor, “The Wonderer”. We will write about everything and everyone, organizations both local and international, politicians and civilians, environment, climate change, developers, ministries and ministers, Government departments: Department of the Environment, Public Health, Lands, Mine & Geology, Forestry and Fisheries Departments, Coastal Zone, Projects both public and private, “un poquito de todo”… etc. If you the priceless reader would like us to research a specific topic please make contact with us. If you have some valid information you would like to share please do so. Take a photo and forward to us, of something that is not correct or looks too correct or something that makes you wonder.

Northern Caucus - Ready to Battle!
There is new blood at the helm of the People’s United Party’s Northern Caucus and new ideas have begun to take the key regional unit forward. The Northern Caucus is made up of the four constituencies in the Corozal District, four in the Orange Walk District and the Belize Rural South division (San Pedro and Caye Caulker). Newly elected Chairperson, Thea Garcia, has a vision that once united and supportive of each other, all the constituencies can achieve success.

Law student Ronnell Gonzalez busted with contraband liquor
Two persons who were charged with being in possession of an assortment of contraband liquor appeared late this evening before Senior Magistrate Sharon. Ronnell Gonzalez, 28, and Jermaine McDonald, 32, were stopped at a checkpoint yesterday, Sunday, and were found to be in possession of over 50 bottles of top shelf liquors for which customs duty has not been paid. They were charged with knowingly being in possession of un-customs goods and carrying un-customs goods. The liquors, which included Absolute Vodka, Jack Daniels, Dewers White Label Whiskey among others, has a total value of $6,027.

Hulse takes on Gapi - Says Lands Ministry was a “like a bazaar” under former DPM
In October 2013 in a meeting with Belizean Americans living in the Los Angeles, California area, the very same man who said that there will be no whiff of corruption under his watch, conceded to the presence of untoward activities happening in his administration when he said, “I believe that the lands department unfortunately is another hotbed of corruption”. We note the word ‘another’, since the Immigration and Nationality Department was embroiled in a major scandal already. With all this said, the inaction of the Prime Minister in tackling the issue of the hotbed of corruption he spoke of has been yet another commitment he has failed to deliver to the country.

OH, TRINIDAD!!!
By Dolores Balderamos Garcia There is a website that is called “Caribbeannewsnow,” and it presents summaries and news stories from various countries of the wider Caribbean, not only from Caricom, but also from many other countries within the Caribbean basin. Since it was recently covered in Caribbean News Line on Channel 5 here at home, a particular story concerning the minimum age for marriage in Trinidad caught my eye. Its headline is “Trinidad and Tobago Reconsiders Existing Law After Push To Recognise Child Marriage As Abuse.” I certainly agree with the initial assertion at the start of the news piece, that “Trinidad and Tobago is a society of contradictions”. It tells us that only a year or so ago the legal age of consent to sexual activity was raised from 16 to 18, while an archaic law i.e. the Marriage Act of 1923, remains on the books, citing the legal age for marriage as 12 for girls and 14 for boys. It goes on: “Child marriage is sometimes practiced in the country’s Muslim and Hindu communities, and certain religious leaders seem intent on holding onto it.” It has been reported that Brother Harrypersad Maharaj, leader of the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO), said that the state should not amend the Marriage Act because “age did not determine maturity.” Holy cow or holy manatee, would be my reaction!!

PUP Leaders Open Research and Educational Center in Bullet Tree Village
A special ceremony took place in Bullet Tree Village, Cayo District, on Sunday June 5th 2016. Community residents joined their local leaders and PUP Cayo North Standard Bearer Michel Chebat to unveil the Be-Pukte Research and Educational Center. Special guest at the event was PUP Leader Hon. John Briceno who lauded Mr. Chebat’s efforts to serve his people. The PUP’s elected candidate for Chairman of the Village, Tai Wu, and the Council candidates Elias Zabaneh, Rene Mai, Teresa Garcia, Juan Medina, Teresa Raimbault, and Apolonio Williams were also present and took part in the ceremony.

New vision for Xaibe Village
Meet Angeles Itzab. Proud resident of the northern community of Xaibe. She is the nineteen year old young woman who dares against all odds to contest the village council chairmanship of Xaibe Village. Angeles is a graduate of both the Corozal Community College and the Muffles Junior College where she graduated with a 4.0 GPA. She is pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in Public Sector Management from the University of Belize on a full academic scholarship. When asked why she seeks the chairmanship of her village, Angeles notes that many issues plague her community. Of these the main issues are the lack of activities and opportunities for young people of her area. She hopes to engage the young people of her village through sporting activities so that these will uplift and reenergize the apathy and hopelessness youth in her village feel. She also hopes that they will see the importance of their contributions through community service on dilapidated and abandoned sporting facilities. She understands that young people need to feel that they are taken seriously and that their opinions matter.

The Gems of Graduation Season 2016 PT4 - Featuring: Belmopan Comprehensive School, New Hope High School, St. John’s College, Wesley College, Toledo Community College, Ocean Academy, San Pedro High School, Muffles College and Delille Academy
We are nearing the end of the BELIZE TIMES’ series of articles on the High School Graduation Season of 2016. But before we get to that inevitable end, there are much more schools to cover, as well as students to profile and celebrate. Belmopan Comprehensive School in the city of Belmopan has officially passed out its graduating class of 240 students, according to school officials we spoke to via phone on Tuesday, May 31st. 151 females and 89 males took the march this past Thursday evening, June 2nd, 2016 at a ceremony held at the University of Belize Gymnasium, beginning at 6:30 p.m. The Valedictorian was Ms. Livia Castillo, of Class 4th/Science-1, and the Salutatorian was Ms. Jacqueline Olivas, of Class 4th/Science-2.

THE WANNABE
Patrick Faber will be the next leader of the United Democratic Party. ‘Over my dead body,’ John Saldivar has said, along with seventeen elected area representatives of that unhappy political party. This saga was set in motion when Gapi “Cesspool” Vega was so unceremoniously pushed out of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Petroleum. In protest he resigned as Deputy Leader of the UDP while clinging on to the empty title of Deputy Prime Minister. He suffered the added indignity of having unelected Godwin Hulse publicly trying to take away his plush office and trying to force him to use a secretary’s office. Hulse had looked like the first casualty of the John Saldivar back-lash. At Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting which bordered on a mini mutiny, Minister after Minister wanted to know why Hulse was in charge of the Ministry of Lands as well as Immigration. Both Ministries are where the unstoppable force of widespread hustling and get- rich deals are in abundance. Hulse exited last week’s Cabinet meeting, we are told, sensing the mutiny ahead, but Barrow did his best to quell the uprising, threatening to reshuffle Ministers if the cross-fire did not cease and settle.

Breaking Belize News

CEMO symposium tackles road safety
The 4th annual symposium on disaster management sponsored by the Central Emergency Management Organization (CEMO) in Belize City has been a staple associated with the start of the hurricane season. Previous events each dealt with a different aspect of hurricane preparedness: overall emergency management, flooding […]

Weed found in Punta Gorda
Acting upon information received this afternoon at around 3:00, Punta Gorda (PG) Police officers searched an empty lot on Vernon Street, where hidden under some grass, they found a black plastic bag containing cannabis. Two officers were on patrol when they got the information […]

Deportee charged with failure to report
Men and women deported from “abroad” after serving time for criminal offenses are made to honor the unusual requirement of signing in with law enforcement here as a way of keeping tabs on them. After being warned previously after missing a scheduled sign-in, a […]

Mental health workers tackle children’s traumas
For the next three days, mental health workers will be learning about tackling traumatic experiences in children. Life for the youngest of us is not as innocent as yesteryear, with frequent exposure, inadvertent or not, to trauma ranging from sexual and other abuse to […]

Nikolai James committed to stand trial at the October Session of the Supreme Court for unlawful sexual intercourse of a minor
Belize City security guard Nikolai James, 28, will have to stand trial at the Supreme Court for the offense of unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 16. James and attorney Oscar Selgado chose not to challenge any of the evidence presented […]

24 year old Alston Leon Smith is on remand for gunplay on Mopan and Ebony Street!
A Belize City man who is accused of gun play on Mopan Street, Belize City in broad daylight yesterday evening at around 4:48 p.m., was today arraigned in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court on a single charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, to wit, a firearm. […]

HE Sir Colville Young attends Queen’s 90th Birthday celebrations
Commonwealth Heads of State are in the United Kingdom to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th birthday. His Excellency Sir Colville Young has joined in the celebrations, leaving the country on Wednesday of this week. In his absence, Cabinet Secretary Carlos Perdomo will act as […]

Weed found in Saint Matthews Village
Belmopan Police’s Quick Response Team last night discovered 233 grams of cannabis in an abandoned lot of Saint Matthews Village, Cayo District. The weed was inside a transparent ziplock bag. No one was in the immediate area at the time of discovery and so the item […]

Man arrested for publicly discharging weapon
A contractor of Duck Run 1 Village in the Cayo District, 36-year-old Juan Gonzalez, was detained by police last night for discharging his firearm in front of a bar and then crashing his vehicle due to suspected intoxication. Gonzalez reportedly exited Mariana’s bar on […]

Muhammad Ali memorials begin; GOB pays tribute
The late Muhammad Ali is to be buried tomorrow, Friday, following a public memorial in his native Louisville, Kentucky. A press statement from the Government of Belize announces that as a mark of respect and tribute to the former world heavyweight boxing champion, Belize […]

More than 6k lost in burglary
Resident of Western Pines area in Western Paradise Village, Belize District, 37-year-old Denis Smith, reported to police that her house was burglarized on Tuesday while she was in Belize City. Smith stated that she left home at 5:30 that morning and upon her return […]

City resident escapes shooting incident unscathed
Noel Cal, 20, reported to police that around 4:45 a.m. yesterday, while he walked on Youth for the Future Drive in Belize City, a male person passed him and stopped about 20 feet away. Almost in front of Uno Gas Station at the time, […]

Blogs

Belize: Why You Should Visit At Least Once In Your Lifetime
We know that you travel for many different reasons; for fun, self-discovery, relaxation, change of scene. Whatever your reasons are, we’re sure Belize has a little of everything in store for you! If you read our “Where is Belize?” Blog, you’ll know that our geographic location puts us at a center point between the Caribbean and mainland Central America. Having two culturally different regions in essence “border” us may be confusing to some travelers but makes Belizeans feel just right. In the short east-west, 62-mile span of our country you can go from experiencing that famous Caribbean “yah man!” personality to the welcoming mestizo hospitality in just two hours driving. it seems almost funny that the coast vs mainland translate so literally to mirror the culture closest to influence it.

Your First Time Visit – Ambergris Caye Check-list: 11 Must-Do’s When You Visit Belize
Ambergris Caye has SO much to offer and can keep you busy from morning until night. The food, the festivals, the people, the shopping, the aqua blue waters, the gorgeous barrier reef and wildlife – most people are quickly hooked. My one BIGGEST tip is to chat it up – with locals, with tourists…it’s a great way to find out what’s going on in town and the newest, hippest spots. But it’s your first visit…and with only a few days or a week, where to start? Here is a check list – a mix of fun, adventure and…chocolate – that will make the most of your time on the island. And give you a real feel for what living on Belize’s largest island is like.

Full Moon Bonfire Rehersal Dinner at Las Terrazas, Belize
Megan & Chris had one of the best rehersal dinners views I ever saw… the background was the sea lit by full moon, and the scene was photo perfect. Amazing food, good drinks, lots of laughter and family and friends bonding this evening.. everyone was talking about next day… Enjoy!

International Sources

Guyana and Belize have a lot in common
Guyana and Belize have a lot in common. Belize is the only English-speaking country in Central America while the Co-operative Republic is the only English-speaking state in South America. The climate and the landscape are somewhat similar. The only difference is that Belize has a lot of Spanish influence because it is bordered by Mexico and Guatemala and most residents speak Spanish. A large number of Belizians lived in the then British Guiana while several Guyanese worked in Belize. Sir Alfred Crane served as Chief Justice in the 1960s and up to this day a Guyanese, Kenneth Benjamin, is head of the judiciary in that Central American country. There are four other Guyanese judges there: Minett Hafeez in the Court of Appeal, while Denis Hanomansingh, Courtney Abel and Sonia Griffith are first instant judges. Dr Ulric Trotz heads the Climate Change department, and until recently Hugh Saul was the head of the Regional Fisheries Department based in Belize and Dr Cary Fraser was the President of the University of Belize. There was also another Guyanese who was the Chief Education Officer for a number of years.

Does tourism really suffer at sites listed as World Heritage In Danger?
In 2014, 1.88 million tourists visited the Great Barrier Reef, bringing an estimated A$5.17 billion into Australia’s economy and helping to employ some 64,300 tourism workers. With those numbers, it’s easy to see how threats to the Reef’s future, such as the recent mass bleaching event, are confronting for the tourism sector. Perhaps unsurprisingly, many tourism operators have chosen to remain quiet about their concerns or downplay the issue, fearful that mentioning the threats would turn tourists away. The federal environment department evidently felt the same way, judging by its request that all references to Australian World Heritage sites, including the Reef, be removed from a UNESCO report on climate change and World Heritage tourism. But does this reasoning stack up? Three other famous tourist destinations have also been in the spotlight of the World Heritage Committee, with little indication that this has turned visitors away.

KICKER: THEY BELIEVE IN BELIZE
PAUL: Are they alive or have they disbanded? Amateur Radio Newsline's Graham Kemp, VK4BB, has this report on the mystery behind the disappearance - and the reappearance - of the Belize Amateur Radio Club. GRAHAM: Where on earth is the Belize Amateur Radio Club? Well, if you know your geography, you might answer "Central America." Or if an oldtimer, British Honduras. But if you ask the International Amateur Radio Union, you'd be told it is nowhere -- it has gone missing for the last 23 years. In fact, that's what the IARU formally stated in a late May news release, reporting that a longtime lack of IARU activity from the club could only be interpreted as its death knell. But visit the website at barc.bz, and you'll find a different story. A statement there - along with a link to the club's Facebook page - states that the Belize group is far from dead. In fact, a news item posted on the site on May 21 reports that the club was recently certified as an NGO, a non-governmental organization. So what's happening? By all reports, it seems the club has been resurrected. A June 2 posting on its Facebook page declares QUOTE "We are the new BARC.. there was an old BARC that ceased to exist some time ago." The statement goes on to say that the new club has actually submitted a formal application to represent Belize with the IARU in Region 2.

Videos

Belize 2016 - David Nash, 24min.

ARE PORTIONS OF THE NEW RIVER THAT RUN ALONG ORANGE WALK BEING CONTAMINATED BY SOLID WASTE?, 3min. Why are portions of the New River that runs through Orange Walk changing colour and why does the river have a strong unpleasant stench? Those are two questions that Orange Walkenos are asking tonight and they won’t be receiving an answer until the Department of the Environment carries out an investigation. What we can tell you is that steps are already being taken for that investigation to commence as today we visited several portions of the river along with Public Health Officer Roger Leal to collect date.

Belize, un nouveau paradis pour les Français, 1min. Coincé entre le Mexique et le Guatemala, le Bélize, ancien Honduras britannique, indépendant depuis à peine trente ans, est un des pays les moins connus du monde. Pourtant c’est un paradis pour les voyageurs qui veulent bien prendre la peine de s’y rendre. Seule une quarantaine de Français vivent de ce petit pays. Pendant plusieurs semaines les équipes de Grands Reportages ont suivi le quotidien de quatre d’entre eux. Un document à découvrir ce samedi après-midi.

Harvest Students - Belize 2016, 2min.

USM Study Abroad - Tropical Ecology, Belize & Guatemala by Sarah Rubelowsky, 16min.

Experience The Belize Tree Houses at Ian Anderson's Caves Branch, 2min. The Belize Tree Houses at Ian Anderson's Caves Branch outstanding accommodations with spectacular views of the surrounding jungle canopy where the songs of toucans, chortle of chachalacas and howls of howler monkeys harmonize and complement the soothing sound of the Caves Branch river below.

Placencia Belize Vacation Snapchat. Rare footage of uncharted paradise deep in the mountains, 7min. I went down to Placencia Belize to check out some of our development projects and decided to share the experience of the trip so others could see this beautiful place and all the opportunity. While there I had a local take me off the beaten path to see a row of waterfalls deep in the mountains. What I stumbled on was one of the most breathtakingly amazing places I have ever witnessed. A honeymoon suite built into the side of the mountain, completely secluded, and overlooking a huge waterfall. You really have to see this to Belize it!

Belize - Day 2 Dive 1 - Cypress Tunnel, Ambergris Caye, Belize, 7min. Great terrain on this dive, and all my Nurse Shark buddies there for me.

Belize: Another Look, 20min. Quick recap of a week-long experience in Belize

June 9, 2016

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

Celebrating World Oceans Day
June 8th is observed intentionally as World Oceans Day. After all, our waterways are very important and should be celebrated in hopes of raising awareness for a better future. This year’s World Oceans Day is being observed under the theme “Healthy Oceans, Healthy planet” – which makes complete sense, since 70% of the earth is water. Even though we love our oceans, seas and rivers, sometime, we tend to mistreat them. Improper disposal of garbage and over fishing are only a couple of things we humans do to mistreat our beautiful waters. Hopefully with the help of organizations such as Oceana in Belize, Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Mar Alliance and many more, we can join hands and stop the harming our oceans. We must all collaborate to make our waters pristine again!

No foul play suspected in ‘Sudden Death’
On Monday, June 6th, the San Pedro Police Department were called to the southern area of Ambergris Caye where they discovered the lifeless body of a 66 year old American male floating near the beach. The deceased was later identified as Robert Bruce Frith, originally from California, USA. The incident occurred about two and half miles south of San Pedro Town in the Mosquito Coast area.

Interoffice Football Tournament begins!
On Thursday, June 2nd the first games of the long anticipated 6-a-side-interoffice Football League 2016 took place at the Honourable Louis Sylvester Sporting Complex. 26 teams divided into six groups signed up for the competition, which is organized by the San Pedro Sports Council. The games spanned four consecutive days and saw the players demonstrating great skill. Despite not being regular athletes, players were in high performance, reviving some of those hidden football skills within them. The next match is scheduled from Thursday, June 9th through Sunday, June 12th at the Sporting Complex starting at 7PM. Fans are encouraged to come cheer for their favourite team, as they play this great sport.

Abracadabra rocks Ambergris Caye!
The island was rocked by the sweet sounds of Abracadabra band on Saturday, June 4th. Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Kenny Lee Lewis, Bobby Vandell, Will Peterson and Billy Peterson performed a most-spectacular live concert at Mahogany Bay Village in Southern Ambergris Caye. It was the first of- its- kind event that is already promising an annual repeat. The band comprises of former and current members of the Steve Miller band who were on the island for the very first time and thrilled with the hospitality and beauty of La Isla Bonita. The concert was a fundraising event for the benefit and maintenance of the South Ambergris Caye Neighbourhood Watch (SACNW). Peter Nolan, head of the SACNW welcomed everyone to the concert and thanked the audience for its support. The over three-hour concert brought hits of the 70’s, 80s, and 90’s to life and the crowd did not hesitate to dance the evening away.

Blue Water Grill and The Phoenix donate to the San Pedro Lions Club
The Blue Water Grill (BWG) restaurant, along with The Phoenix Resort handed over a total of $1,572 to the San Pedro Lions Club. The donation will go a long way as the San Pedro Lions Club conducts free eye screenings for children in San Pedro, Caye Caulker and Corozal. For those who are in need of glasses, and cannot afford them, this donation helps with covering the cost as well. Blue Water Grill would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who has helped make a difference in the community. Their June Monthly Donation Program will benefit a project that is being organized by Miss San Pedro High School 2016-2017, Faith Edgar. Edgar is seeking to purchase backpacks for disadvantaged students at San Pedro High School (SPHS), and planning to build palapas around the school so students can eat lunch in the shade. SPHS needs four palapas, and each palapa costs $900. Donations can be made at BWG’s cashier in any amount during their normal opening hours or online on their website at www.bluewatergrill.com/community

Ambergris Today

International Tattoo Expo Brings Ink to Life in Belize
They say once you get inked that there is an irresistible urge to get a second tattoo, a third or even a fourth one. I did not realize how big tattoo art was in our culture until the first ever San Pedro Belize International Tattoo Expo took place on Ambergris Caye this past weekend. The event was a tremendous success with the venue packed with tattoo enthusiasts and curious onlookers marveling at the artistry. The buzz of the tattoo guns filled the air as tattoo artists from as far as Costa Rica, USA and Mexico joined their artist brothers from Belize in participation of the first International Tattoo Expo. Well-respected tattoo artist Wimpas Sosa from San Pedro put together a most exciting event that brought together professional tattoo artists with up-coming apprentices who shared their knowledge and passion for the art that is no longer taboo in our culture. The expo was more than just about tattoos, I saw families with tattooed mothers and fathers alongside their children at the expo. Talking to them, they all reiterated how they want their children to embrace the tattoo culture and appreciate the lifestyle.

Edge & Crimmins Island Nuptials
Congratulations to Lyndsey Marie Crimmins and James Stephen Edge who traveled all the way from London, UK to celebrate their nuptials in the perfect island setting of San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. Lyndsay is a local Sanpedrana, daughter to Dana and Grant Crimmins who met James in the UK where they now live. Family and friends celebrated along with them on the beach at Island Time Beach Bar on June 4, 2016. Our Best Wishes go out to the Newly Weds Mr. & Mrs. Edge.

Central American Countries Launch Campaign “Central America is Yours, Enjoy It”
The Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, in collaboration with the Belize Tourism Board and the Belize Tourism Industry Association, launched the new interregional Tourism campaign “Central America is Yours, Enjoy It” , directed to Central Americans to motivate them to travel within the region. This constitutes a joint effort with public and private sectors to promote the integration of Central American tourism. All seven member countries had representatives from Ministries of Tourism and Tourism boards participating jointly in the designing stages of the campaign. These organizations have worked hand in hand with regional tour operators to design special packages, which will be made available to the Central American public. These efforts will show the true value of the tourist attractions in the region through Social Media and websites placements that will effectively position the regional tourism brand “Central America is Yours, Enjoy It” contributing to the promotion of tourism in Central America.

Hon. Patrick Faber Sworn in as Deputy Prime Minister of Belize
On June 7, 2016, the Hon. Patrick Faber was sworn in as the new Deputy Prime Minister of Belize by the Governor General of Belize H.E. Sir Colville Young at the Belize House in the City of Belmopan. Hon. Patrick Faber was sworn in as Deputy Prime Minister after recently being elected as the new First Deputy Party Leader of the United Democratic Party. He is succeeding the outgoing Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Gaspar Vega.

Misc Belizean Sources

BHA is at Experience Latin America ( ELA) London
Sander Langeveld, our BHA Representative in Europe, is at the Experience Latin America taking place in London this week from June 6-8, 2016 at the CCT Venues in Canary Wharf, London. During this three day event, the BHA has pre-scheduled, over 40 one-on-one appointments with carefully selected tour operators from all over Europe. We will also be participating in a Media Event on June 7, where we will meet and network with the UK's top publications and other invited press. In 1996, the Latin American Travel Association was created to develop better working relationships and improve communications with Latin American travel businesses and to promote Latin America as a tourist destination. Over the years LATA has grown from strength to strength and the LATA community stretches to every corner of Latin America and throughout the UK and Europe. The association, now an authoritative voice for Latin American travel and tourism, continues to promote the region, help build valuable business relationships and support good business practice. With the aim to expand and diversify the European travel market to Latin America, LATA launched Experience Latin America in 2014. ELA is Europe's exclusive by-invitation only travel event showcasing the very best suppliers from across the region of the UK and Europe.

Postponed until further notice, power interruptions previously scheduled for entire Orange Walk & Corozal Districts
6:00am to 6:20am & 4:40pm to 5:00pm, Wednesday, June 8 and Thursday, June 9.

Interregional Tourism campaign “Central America is Yours, Enjoy It”
The Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, in collaboration with the Belize Tourism Board and the Belize Tourism Industry Association, launched the new interregional Tourism campaign “Central America is Yours, Enjoy It” , directed to Central Americans to motivate them to travel within the region. This constitutes a joint effort with public and private sectors to promote the integration of Central American tourism.

NOAA Outlook for Central America June 9 - 15, 2016
During the next week, rainfall forecasts indicate a significant increase in rainfall across Central America. This may announce the onset of the first growing season. Abundant rain is expected over Guatemala, El Salvador, western Honduras, and the Southern Caribbean. Moderate to heavy and average to below-average rain is expected, however, throughout the central parts and Atlantic Basin of Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. The forecast uptake in rain should help alleviate dryness over many areas, but it also may trigger localized flooding over some areas.

Belize - Sugar output crosses 117,835 t after 25 weeks
Belize Sugar Industries milled 47,274 tonnes of cane during week 25 of the 2015/16 crushing season, down from 49,979 a week earlier but hardly changed from 47,114 in the same period a year ago, the company announced.

International Day of Yoga, Belize City
June 19, Radisson Fort George Hotel

Belizean Invited to Participate in National Development Courses in Taiwan
The Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) is pleased to announce that Mrs. Yuri Alpuche is invited by the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to participate in national development courses held from the end of June until beginning of July in Taiwan. Mrs. Yuri Alpuche is a project management and research professional with over seven years of experience in the private sector and recently joined the public sector as the Project Coordinator for the Department of Public Private Sector Dialogue (DPPD). Yuri holds a Master’s degree in Project Management and is a certified Green Project Manager, GPM-b. Her areas of interest include sustainable development, entrepreneurship (especially amongst youths) and creating child friendly communities. Mrs. Alpuche will attend courses related to climate changes, economic development, and educational system. She will also make visits to a science-based industrial park, among other places. With this opportunity to attend courses in Taiwan, Mrs. Alpuche hopes to contribute what she learns and what she sees to her section.

Over 930 Students Belize City/Belize District Will Soon Benefit From Gwen Lizarraga High School Renovation & Extension Projec
Commencement of work for the rehabilitation of computer labs and substitution of the woodwork and metalwork labs of Gwen Lizarraga High School, Belize City, will be held today at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday June 8, 2016. The scope of work includes substituting a ferro concrete annex for the existing carpentry and a metalwork workshop. The new workshops will be equipped with a covered veranda, Storm Guard windows protected by security grilles and two metal roller shutter doors for external access to the workshops. The sub-project also includes the rehabilitation of two existing computer labs and provision of equipment for the workshops.

Two 30 minute power interruptions 10:00am to 10:30am & 12:30pm to 1:00pm, Thursday, June 9, San Pedro
Pescador Drive, San Pedrito, Elliot Subdivision, San Pablo, San Marcos, DFC Area & Southern portion of island from Sunbreeze Hotel to Island Cottage Resort. BEL to repair hotspots at San Pedro Substation.

SHJC 2016 Graduation
Congratulations, SHJC graduates! 95 graduates are ready to change the world. "Sacred Heart Junior College, Belize had their 16th graduation commencement last night. 95 students graduated, and more than half walked the stage."

Educational campaign on the protection of the headwaters of the western Chiquibul-Maya Mountains
FCD is gearing up the launching of an educational campaign on the protection of the headwaters of the western Chiquibul-Maya Mountains with the financial support of PACT. Mr. Ramon Frutos remains a close mentor and ally of this effort. Thank you.

Paradise Theater playing this weekend
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, El Clan, Quackerz, Midnight Special

Channel 7

Cloning an SUV Using Dead Men's Names
Five years after he was busted for having an SUV that never paid duty, Chinese businessman Jian Jiang, was hit with a steep fine for it today. The Mitsubishi Nativa was valued at 50 thousand dollars and he has to pay three times the value, so that's one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. And he has to pay by December 31st. The vehicle is a white Mitsubishi Nativa which had a bogus VIN number etched unto the chassis. Jiang was charged with acquiring possession of an un-customed vehicle and recklessly acquiring possession of a vehicle for which the VIN was tampered. The Customs department Prosecutor Tracey Sosa called 10 witnesses, based on an elaborate investigation built by Customs Officer Adrian Gibson.

Spoonaz' Thief Caught In A Facebook Flash
About 2 and a half years ago, well-known photographer Jeremy Spooner, opened his cafe, named Spoonaz Photo Cafe and Bar on North Front Street. He installed a security system, and, that came in very useful when his business was burglarized last week Tuesday. Not only did Spooner catch the thief on camera, but he also went a step further, did his own investigation, and with the help of his Facebook friends, he caught the man, and handed him over to police, bow tie and all. Today, he told us how and why he felt the need to get so involved in getting his own justice, but we start first tonight with the incident itself. He provided us with surveillance footage of the entire crime in progress, and Daniel Ortiz narrates the crime as it unfolds:

Houston Accident Victim Recovering
Accident Victim Lennox “DJ Tambran” Young is still recovering at a Houston hospital and won’t make it back to Belize tomorrow. As we told you, DJ Tambran was driving back to Belize from Houston with his 2 friends, Corozal resident Sostenes Tamai and Police Coach Amin August. But on the way home DJ Tambran stopped at an Auto Parts shop in Northwest Harris County where a truck rammed into them. DJ Tambran only got a broken arm but his passenger Tamai was killed. When we spoke to DJ Tambran’s brother today he told us that the Houston police are investigating. He told us he is not sure when DJ Tambran will return home. we will keep following this story.

More Southside Gunplay
Police have charged the man who shot at a 17 year old boy. The shooting happened yesterday evening around 5 on Mopan Street. The 17 year old was standing outside his Ebony Street house with his sister when a man pulled up and pulled out a gun. The teenager ran and the gunman chased him on Mopan Street, firing several shots at him. The boy got away unharmed and asked some officers who were at a checkpoint on Vernon Street for help. Police arrested and charged 24 year old Alston Smith with Aggravated Assault. Police say this shooting is as a result of a gang rivalry in that area.

Hulse Halts The Hustle
Last night on 7News you heard Minster of Natural Resources Godwin Hulse talk about some of the difficulties he's been having at the Ministry of Natural Resources. He told us he's had to turn into a kind of private investigator, to make sure that persons in whose names land is applied for are the actual persons who are receiving the land. It's diligence borne out of an old practice in the Lands Department where real names and identity details of persons are used in Land applications without their knowledge. Yesterday – after we gather he made a self-defence presentation in Cabinet – we probed him about the prevalence of this practice during the tenure of his predecessor Gaspar Vega:…. Jules Vasquez: "Referring again to this specific type of fraud where people are used without their knowledge or consent and also bogus companies are used. Would you give us a ball park figure on how much of that sort of thing you've encountered?" Hon. Godwin Hulse, Minister of Natural Resources: "I can't yet because we're still doing that; we've found quite a few."

Cabinet's 7 Day Wonder
And while Hulse would not say it, inevitably, those political connections go back to the UDP hierarchy, which also leads back to the political directorate in Cabinet. So, since Hulse's tenure at the Ministry of Natural Resources appears to be a lightning rod for inter-Cabinet resentment of the Prime Minister, how does he see his relations with his colleagues? That's what we asked him today:… Jules Vasquez: "How would you characterise the mood in the cabinet; this is the second cabinet you've been in. The Prime Minister has two issues; he has a Deputy Prime Minister who 11 ministers opposed his election in the convention. Convention done, majority rules okay and he also has a minister of the war chess, the natural resources who is unelected and immune apparently to political persuasion and pressure. How does that affect Mr. Barrow's management of the cabinet?"

Foreign Minister Downplays Roger Plett Abduction By Guats
One Cabinet Minister who was not even in country for the convention or the Cabinet contention in the aftermath is Wilfred Elrington. He was travelling for two weeks, shuttling form meeting to meeting – and when he came back home, he had a breezy disposition, more or less laughing off the entire flap over Roger Plett's abduction. You may remember Plett, he's the Mennonite who was abducted in the Green Hills Area of Spanish Lookout two weeks ago allegedly by the Guatemalan military, in service of an NGO on that side of the border. Even though Plett says he was tied up and his tractor destroyed, Elrington says it was all just a neighbourly gesture:… Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs: "They were fighting fire, the fire got away and the fire was moving from Belize into Guatemalan territory and the Mennonites had equipment to help to stop the fire and was invited by a Guatemalan NGO to assist to lend them the equipment to assist and they resisted and the Guatemalan NGO decide to take self-help and take it from them and decided to use it to clear off the area to make sure the fire would not go any further into Guatemala. When they had finished that they gave it back. So I think we have to start to understand that we are our brother's keeper in this kind of thing and we can't get offended by every action that is taken."

Hon. Elrington And The Peace Pipe
And, while he shrugged that one off, it seems, that neighborly spirit extends also to the Guatemalan fishers who freely throw their nets and cast their lines on Belize's side of the Sarstoon. Sounding like he had just taken a deep pull from the peace pipe, Elrington said, let it be: Jules Vasquez: "Those who have been operating with impunity on the Sarstoon are Guatemalan fishers. Is there any plan to enforce fishing laws of our nation on our side of the river?" Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs: "I am not aware that our laws are not being enforced on our side of the river, I am not aware of that. You don't want people to get killed over controversy over fish or any such thing like that. The ideal situation is to work out the situation and it's something that fish no stay one place they come in the side and they go this side..."

Mr. Elrington Goes To Washington
But Elrington will have to put on his game face in two weeks' time. That's when he meets with his Guatemalan counterpart in Washington DC:… Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs: "I think we will be meeting again in Washington on the 21st of this month and I think that; I've just agreed to that to meet on the 21st and I think that in the interim we will start the preliminary negotiations on it I'm hoping. But the intention is to do the protocol, the mechanism so that we could live in peace. The intention really is to live in peace and to make sure that nobody dies. We want to make the Sarstoon safe for both our military and for our civilians while we are working out the mechanism our people will be able to go and come without death of hindrance; that is our understanding that was the context in which we were negotiating. I think the Foreign Minister of Guatemala suggested that he did not understand it in that light."

Guats Dragging Feet On Ruano Investigation
And while no one knows for sure what rule really pertains on the Sarstoon right now, the picture is just as unclear with the investigation into the death of 13 year old Guatemalan Carlos Alvarado Ruano. The Guatemalans have made a big show about demanding an investigation into the cause of his death, but Elrington says they haven't followed up by requesting a formal investigation: Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs: "We sent a letter asking them to do that, telling them we would wish for them to get it done. I'm told that they are waiting for a letter from the Guatemalans requesting the same and soon as they get that from the Guatemalans then I think they would be able to be more positive on that. But I do know they have made inquiries and they have gotten offers of assistance I think from the Americans; I know definitely from the Mexicans to send forensics people to help us in the process."

Two For Thirteen Turtles
Last night, we showed you the 2 men who were caught by the Fisheries Department with 17 large Hicatee turtles. Well today, those men, Golburn Seguro, and his nephew, Hilberto Seguro, were taken to court for it. They are charged with possession of Hicatee Turtles and possession of a Hicatee net. Golburn Seguro was charged with only 1 of the turtles, while Hilberto Seguro was charged for 13 of them. When they were arraigned before Magistrate Carlon Mendoza today, they pleaded not guilty to the charges, and they were granted bail. According to the Fisheries Department, after conducting surveillance for over a week, they stopped Golburn Seguro's vehicle at the Lords Bank junction yesterday afternoon. The officers searched the vehicle, and found 3 hicatee turtles, and shortly after that, they launched an investigation which took them to Hilbert Seguro's home in Biscayne. That's when they found 13 more inside his house, and those are the 13 for which he now stands charged.

Darrell Downplays Kerr Coming Home
Last week we told you about the post-convention rumbling within the United Democratic Party. And the biggest quake came from two women who were fired from the office of Area Representative Beverly Castillo. One of those women was Elena Kerr. Now as we told you in the latter part of last week, Belize City Mayor Darrell Bradley hired Elena Kerr, after she was fired by Hon. Castillo. And as you know Mayor Bradley supported Faber in the convention. But today when we asked him about this arrangement he was completely dismissive: Darrell Bradley, Belize City Mayor: "It's not an issue which we are making any statement against any person. I am mindful of the importance of jobs to people within our community and the city council through transparent means tries to ensure if we're holding interview and so forth that we can accommodate people with jobs so that I don't really have any comment in relation to that. Again I have tremendous respect for the Hon. Bev Castillo, I think that she's doing a good job and I know that politics is very difficult for most person. I myself have experienced that and it's not something that we really have a statement or comment one."

Will Bradley Ride Faber's Coattails
But Bradley has his political loyalty tied firmly to Patrick Faber. So If Faber ascends to party leadership – will Bradley hang in there for another go at Caribbean shores. He lost in 2015, but might 2020 be better for him? Here's what he said:.. Darrell Bradley, Belize City Mayor: "Well I mean of course if somebody loses an election, I lost in Caribbean Shores we have to do an assessment in relation to the possibility if you can win again; there is going to be redistricting, there are going to be other issues and so forth, There's a lot of considerations. I like municipal government, there is municipal election which will be upcoming so that 4 years is afar year going forward in future. Of course in the next 2 weeks I'm going to have a daughter so that family considerations are paramount to me like wise; all of those issues are things that we have to consider and take into account aside from a decision in relation to politics and again 4 years is long into the future." Emanuel Pech: "But do you think it is a possibility? Considering that Mr. Faber is now the deputy; and he will more than likely might be the leader as well."

Busted With Two Sacks Of Lobsters
3 fishermen were taken to court today for fishing lobster during the closed season. Fifty-four year old Jose Augustine Garrido, a fisherman from Consejo, took the rap for 142 lobster tails caught during closed season, was fined a total of $3,045 dollars today by Magistrate Carlon Mendoza after he pleaded guilty. Garrido was given until November 7th to pay, or he could face a year in jail. Yesterday, Fisheries Officers went to the "Port o' Stuck" area and saw when the fishermen throw two white sacks into the mangrove. When the officers retrieved the sacks they found lobster tails.

Minimizing Accidents
The City Emergency Management Organization CEMO, held consultations on Traffic Accidents and Road Safety Strategies with stakeholders today. This was in an effort to look at road safety and how they can formulate a plan in each municipality in an attempt to reduce the number of road traffic fatalities. Emanuel Pech has the report. More than 1.2 million people die in road traffic crashes every year. And it does include persons in vehicles. In fact, studies from the World Health Organization show that about half of all crash victims are vulnerable road users like pedestrians, and motorcyclists. In the last decade alone Belize has recorded over 400 deaths related to traffic accidents and experts say that traffic mishaps are showing a potential increase. Now with all the road safety public messaging of the last few years, you would think the statistics would show a downturn. But the reality of the matter is that road upgrades only go so far in reducing the rate of traffic accidents within a community.

Road Safety Review
As we told you the Road Safety project was launched in 2013 and is being funded by the Caribbean Development bank. In the three years since, the George Price Highway has been resurfaced, and outfitted with reflectors and heavy signage, among other improvements. But have any of these highway upgrades measurably reduced the level of road traffic accidents? Well that is what the Belize Road Safety Project hopes to put to the test in the upcoming year. Project Manager Pamela Scott tells us more. Pamela Scott, Proj. Manager - Belize Road Safety Project: "You do have statistics, we look at those; we analyze them. We also have to look at our infrastructure component where the ministry of works is the technical arm for infrastructure. We do the IRAP assessment which was done at the beginning and what is IRAP? International Road Assessment Programme, that little boogie that came down, the little vehicle with sophisticated equipment is ran across the different roads in our country and it defined the level of where our roads are and the levels are defined based on star standards. So you have star 1, 2, 3, the minimum star a country should be at is a star 3. Our roads were within 0 to 2 so we're hoping though at the end of this demonstration corridor project which include both the highways and the urban area we would be able to do another assessment, a road assessment and bring in the International Road Assessment Programme to conduct that road safety assessment. I'm hoping we will be at a star 3 rating."

Gwen Liz Gets Upgrade
The construction of a much needed wood and metal work lab began today at the Gwen Lizarraga School. For many years over 900 students had to work in those rotting and dilapidated labs in which only the front portion was usable. Well, today, Principal Dr. Lorna McKay told us that after years of lobbying for this renovation and extension project, it has finally become a reality. McKay discussed what the project entails and what it means for the students. The project costs almost $700,000. Works should be completed in October.

See Central America
Today in Belize and the 6 other Central American Nations, the Government Tourism bodies and the private sectors from those countries launched a new tourism marketing campaign called, "Central America is Yours, Enjoy It." Its an initiative which the 7 nations are trying to attract fellow Central American travelers to vacation in the region, instead of spending their money elsewhere. As part of the simultaneous launch, Belize's representatives hosted a press conference to explain why they think Belize's tourism revenues could definitely benefit from this program: As you heard, the main thrust of the program is to harness the influence of the difference social media sites to funnel that traffic in the SICA countries to SITCA website.

Channel 5

Is Post of New Regional Health Manager in the North a Political Appointment?
There is a new regional health manager for the two northern districts. Thirty-year old Audibaldo Monima Junior, an officer with the Belize National Coast Guard has been given a contract [...]

Foreign Minister Says Guatemala is Claiming All of Belize
Just how much of Belize is Guatemala claiming? It’s a valid question, but the answer may surprise you. We’ve always thought that the claim was for roughly half of Belize, [...]

O.A.S. Gets Ready to Investigate Border Incidents and Incursions into Belize
The O.A.S. is getting set to commence its investigation into the death of a Guatemalan minor in the Chiquibul. And according to Minister Wilfred Elrington, that organization will also be [...]

Minister of Education Comments on Guatemalan Students in Belize
For days we have received reports that dozens of Guatemalans students have been lining up for enrolment at Mount Carmel High School and other schools in Benque Viejo Del Carmen. [...]

National Garifuna Council Condemns Senseless Murder of John Jay
An autopsy was conducted on the body of thirty-five-year-old John Jay Rodriguez at the K.H.M.H. morgue this afternoon. The well-known musician was callously slain during a robbery attempt in Dangriga [...]

Despite Gloomy IMF Report, Mayor Bradley Says It’s Still All Good
There is growing concern over the findings of the IMF team released in the recent Article Four consultations. That report points to a weakening fiscal position which has proportionately increased [...]

Rift? What Rift in the U.D.P.?
Patrick Faber was sworn in as Deputy Prime Minister on Tuesday, and as expected, a majority of Cabinet did not show up to share in his proud moment. While not [...]

Trio of Fishermen Busted for Out-of-Season Lobster
The Fisheries Department was in heavy operations country wide and while in the city on Tuesday, they came across a camp where they found three men in possession of one [...]

Seguros Arraigned for Illegal Possession of Hicatees
On Tuesday, we reported on a major bust in rural Belize District by the Fisheries Department. Two Biscayne men, Goldburn Seguro and his nephew Hilberto Seguro were intercepted near the [...]

Chinese Businessman Arraigned for Purchasing Stolen Guatemalan Vehicle
A Chinese businessman, Jian Huan Jiang, who bought a stolen vehicle in 2011 faced the music in court today. Jiang was found guilty of one of two offenses brought by [...]

CEMO Hosts 4th Annual Symposium on Road Safety
This morning, representatives of various government, municipal and private organizations gathered for the City Emergency Management Organization’s fourth annual symposium. Timed to coincide with the start of the hurricane season, [...]

An Interregional Tourism Campaign is Launched in Central America
A new interregional tourism campaign was unveiled simultaneously across seven Central American countries this morning. Under the banner “Central America is Yours, Enjoy it”, the Ministry of Tourism and Civil [...]

Half a Million Internet Users are Targeted for Social Media Campaign
The participating agencies have worked closely to design special packages that aim to show the true value of tourist attractions in Central America through social media and website placements. [...]

4th Annual Climate Outlook Forum
On Tuesday the National Meteorological Service of Belize hosted its fourth Climate Outlook Forum. The twice yearly session included representation from different sectors, gathered together to discuss how the forecast [...]

Insurance Powerhouse Guardian Group Returns to Belize After Brief Hiatus
NemWil, Regent and Guardian Life Insurance….they are well-known insurance companies that have operated in Belize as agents for the Guardian Holdings Group out of the Caribbean. Now under the new [...]

A New Technical Department Building for Gwen Liz is Coming Soon
Ground was officially broken this afternoon for the expansion of Gwen Lizarraga High School. The construction of an adjoining building which is being funded by the Social Investment Fund has [...]

CTV3

Minister Hulse Speaks On The Alleged Move To Unseat Him
There seems to be tension within the ruling United Democratic Party, and it all seems to have brewed up after the convention to elect a new deputy party leader between those Ministers who support Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber and those who do not. Caught up somewhere in there is Natural Resources Minister Godwin Hulse. It seems the unelected minister has come under attack by his fellow Cabinet Ministers as unofficial reports last week were that the 11 Ministers who do not support Faber wanted Hulse gone. And although several cabinet members denied those allegations Hulse yesterday felt the need to defend his position, stating that he has reassured his stance in the party with PM Barrow and other cabinet members.

FIU Issues Advisory On Pyramid Scheme
There seems to be a new and easy way to make money that has caused a stir on social networks and many are calling it a big scam. The pyramid scheme is such that the people at the top earn money at the expense of the new members and investors and reports are that this pyramid type scheme may have already found its way into Belize and the Financial Intelligence Unit is now warning Belizeans to beware of this scam. In a release issued by the FIU they bring to the attention of Belizeans the potential treat that exists with this new scheme. According to the FIU this scheme includes a person who induces other persons to invest small sums of money by promising them a substantial return in a short period of time. The scheme crumbles when the promoters cannot persuade enough victims to pay into the scheme to cover all the promised returns.

PSE Results Not Delayed
The Primary School Examination, (PSE) was taken by thousands of standard six students back in March and May of this year. The results of the PSE are traditionally released early in the month of June by the Ministry of Education as students anxiously await to hear how they performed. Over the past week or so there has been a lot of talk indicating that the results of the PSE are somehow delayed, today CTV3 news spoke to District Education Officer for Orange Walk, Karla Alvarez, who clarified the situation, assuring that the results are not in any way late, they are simply not yet ready.

Tamay's Friends Raise Funds To Bring Him Back Home
Well known car dealer and mechanic, 42 year old Corozal Town resident Sostenes Tamay Jr., was the victim of a fatal traffic accident yesterday in Houston, Northwest Harris County. As mentioned last night, at around 8:30 yesterday morning Tamay was traveling in this black Nissan Xterra driven at the time by Lenox Young better known as DJ Tambran when upon coming out of a junk yard on highway 249 a Black pickup truck collided into the driver side of the Xterra killing Tamay on the spot. Also traveling in the Xterra at the time of the incident was 55 year old retired Superintendent Amin August from the Cayo District.

Students Sit BJAT Exam
The Belize Junior Achievement Test (BJAT) is an examination intended for all students in sixth grade, or as we know it…standard three. The BJAT bears minimal consequences for the students taking it as the purpose of the examination is to test the caliber of teaching at each primary institution at the end of the school year. This exam is not offered simultaneously like the PSE but it is administered to each school at its own individual pace and yesterday the process of administering this exam started throughout the country of Belize. Karla Alvarez – District Education Manager, Orange Walk “Yesterday we started with the administration of the BJAT in Orange Walk district and the same thing is happening throughout the country, the BJAT is a high stakes exam similar to the PSE there are some school or there are some people that don’t give it that much importance from many schools they use the results of the BJAT to determine where their children are at the end of Standard III it is called the Belize Junior Achievement Exam and it is to assess what they have been able to complete by the end of Standard III.”

Teachers Advised To Check On Applications For Special Permits
Back in February of this year it was announced at an education press conference that over one thousand three hundred teachers from primary and secondary institutions are likely to lose their jobs because they did not complete their education training. In 2000 the Ministry of Education implemented new education rules to regularize the education system which requires all teachers to possess a teaching license, a decade later in 2010, the Ministry of Education amended the Education and Training Act, making it mandatory for teachers to acquire pedagogical training to remain in the classrooms. At that time, the ministry issued a five-year provisional license to teachers who did not possess training, which now expires. Those teachers who did not proceed to obtain the requisite training now risk losing their jobs unless they obtain a special permit while they are in the process of getting the required pedagogy.

LOVE FM

FIU Alerts Residents of Investment Scheme in Belize
The Financial Intelligence Unit has issued an alert to residents around the country surrounding a scheme that has been brought to their attention. In this scheme, the individuals who sign onto the program are asked to make an initial investment with the promise of making far more than what they have put in. According to […]

Sedi Explains Current Status of Belize’s Rights at the Sarstoon
In an interview with Foreign Minister on Tuesday afternoon in Belmopan, the issue of the Sarstoon River arose in which he explained why, some months ago, he was persistent in discouraging Belizeans from going to the area in southern Belize. WILFRED ELRINGTON “In the path months when I had been advising people against going it […]

Plett’s Equipment Was Commandeered for A Good Reason, Says FM
On Thursday, May 12, 21-year-old, Roger Plett was taken over to the Guatemalan side near the western border with Green Hills just pass the Spanish Lookout area in the Cayo District. Plett had called the media to share his plight after he had difficulties with law enforcement officials and the Government of Belize in getting […]

Dredging Nowhere in Sight to Tackle Silt Buildup
Listeners might recall the story on the silt and sand build up in front of the Bliss Center for the Performing arts. While there may not have been complaints to the media from those who use the river mouth on a daily basis, we can tell you about some customers at the Port of Belize, […]

City Officials Preparing for the Rainy Season
Rainfall in and around the country was welcomed after a period of intense heat. The rains were also a reminder of the flooding that several communities endured last year. We asked the City Emergency Management Organization, Liaison Officer for the Belize City Council Wayne Usher, how prepared I the city in the event of a […]

Central America Es Tuya …. Difrutarla
The Belize Tourism Board and the Belize Tourism Industry Association have joined Central American Tourism Integration Secretariat (SICA) on a Central American digital campaign entitled “Central America is yours, enjoy it!” The aim of the campaign is to get those living in Central America to travel to Central American countries more often. Belize and remaining […]

Garifuna Council Condemns Murder of John Jay Rodriguez
The National Garifuna Council has condemned the killing of John Jay Rodriguez. As has been reported, Rodriguez was shot and killed on Friday night inside a gaming establishment in Dangriga. In its release the NGC says it was a senseless killing of one of its sons, a musician, progressive youth, and father. It goes on […]

Caleb Challenges Chief Justice to do His Job
It has been six years now since Caleb Orozco had filed a petition in the courts challenging a part of the Belize Constitution as it concerns the LGBT community. In September 2010, Orozco had filed the application that challenges the constitutionality of Section 53 of Belize’s Criminal Code which says that quote, “every person who […]

Belize is Ready for CODICADER Games 2016
An assessment team associated with the upcoming CODICADER games slated to be held in Belize was in-country recently doing an assessment of the accommodations, sporting arenas and other logistics geared at accommodating over one thousand persons next month. We spoke with Minister of State in the Ministry of Sports, Elodio Aragon on whether Belize passed […]

PlusTV

Patrick Faber sworn in as Deputy Part Leader
The Hon. Patrick Faber was sworn in as the new Deputy Prime Minister of Belize by the Governor General of Belize H.E. Sir Colville Young at the Belize House in the City of Belmopan today, Tuesday June 7, 2016. The Minister of Education was elected as the new first Deputy Party Leader of the United D...

64 year old charged for fire chief death
64 year old Jose Gregory Williams was arraigned on four charges in relation to the traffic accident that led to the death of Corozal Fire Chief 33 year old Meshach Henry. Williams was charged for driving without due care and attention, failing to give way to a motor vehicle on a major road, cau...

Corozal man dead, DJ Tambran hurt in accident in Houston
Lennox “DJ Tambran” Young, owner of the popular Music Depot on North Front Street and also a vehicle dealer, was injured in a traffic accident this morning while returning to Belize from Houston, Texas. Young avoided serious injury as did one of his companions, senior police officer Assistant Superi...

Foreign Affairs Minister says Vega’s address in Cuba is Ministry approved
In our Previous newscast, we told you about Former Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega’s speech at the 7th Summit of the Association of Caribbean States held in Havana, Cuba, June 2nd – 4th. In his remarks to the 25 member countries and numerous observers from South America, Europe and Rus...

Huge Hicatee bust in Belize River Valley
The Fisheries Department made a huge bust today with a total of 16 Hickatee turtles. Two men were caught separately in the Belize River Valley Area with the turtles. Hickatee’s are ranked Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List and in Beliz...

Law student accused of contraband smuggling
Ronell Gonzalez is no stranger to the court system, not just because he has been there on various charges, but because he is also a law student. His latest run in with the law is over some contraband items found in the car he was driving. Customs intercepted the taxi vehicle at a customs checkpoin...

Ready Call “hard-pay” with Social Security
Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser has ordered the CEO of Ready Call Center on the Burrell Boom-Hattieville Road, 46 year old Nubia Ramirez Moreno, to pay a court fine and more than 140 thousand dollars owed in contributions to Social Security by June 20. Moreno pleaded guilty in court, admitting that ...

Breaking Belize News

Uncle and nephew charged over hicatee turtles
Two men, Goldburn Seguro and his nephew, Hilbert Seguro, were charged with possession of Hicattee when they appeared today before Magistrate Carlon Mendoza. Goldburn was charged with possession of 1 Hicattee while Hilbert was charged with possession of 3 Hicattee and a Hicattee net. […]

Fisherman couldn’t wait for lobster season
Fifty-four year old Jose Augustine Garrido, a fisherman from Consejo, one of three men charged with possession of 142 lobster tails during closed season, was fined a total of $3,045 today by Magistrate Carlon Mendoza after he pled guilty to the charge. Garrido was […]

Asian businessman fined over stolen Mitsubishi
Chinese businessman Jian Jiang, the owner of a shop in Ladyville, was fined $149,085 today by Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser after he was found guilty acquiring possession of an uncustomed vehicle and recklessly possessing an uncustomed vehicle. Jiang was fined 3 times the market […]

Yuri Alpuche travels to Taiwan for national development courses
A press release issued today by the Embassy of the Republic of China, serves to inform that Belizean coordinator for the Department of Public Private Sector Dialogue (DPPD), Yuri Alpuche, will be participating in national development courses at the mentioned embassy. The courses, scheduled […]

MOE: PSE 2016 results on track
On Monday we reported checking in with the Ministry of Education’s Examination section about the results of the Primary School Examination (PSE) that students are anxiously awaiting. We had been getting reports that the results were to be issued on Friday, then on Monday. […]

Champagne Paris death “natural”
The death of transgender Porfilio Rodriguez – self-styled Vanessa Champagne Paris – was not due to suicide by poisoning, but was of natural causes. This was the conclusion of a post-mortem examination done at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital morgue earlier this week. Independence […]

New DPM: Rough times ahead, don’t panic
A bracing Patrick Faber admits “tight times” are ahead, following the conclusion of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) report released recently. But the new Deputy Prime Minister adds that Government “(is) absolutely not going to bow to the IMF pressures.” Faber blames “a large […]

World Bank says global outlook bleak, meager growth expected in Belize
The World Bank, in its latest economic prospects report, downgraded its 2016 global growth forecast to 2.4 percent from the 2.9 percent pace projected in January. And though the global outlook is not good, Belize and other countries in the Caribbean and Central American region are […]

National Garifuna Council condemns killing of John Jay
A press release issued by the National Garifuna Council (NGC) yesterday, condemns the “senseless killing” of its son who was a musician, progressive youth and father, John Jay Rodriguez. Rodriguez was killed in an attempted robbery at Havana gambling shop in Dangriga on Friday […]

Moist and unstable conditions continue over our area
The National Meteorological Service of Belize is predicting partly cloudy skies this afternoon along with a few showers or thunderstorms mostly inland. Skies will be cloudy tonight and tomorrow morning with some showers, thunderstorms or light rain mainly over the South and coast. Winds […]

More than 5k lost in Hopkins burglary
Owner of Driftwood Beach Bar in Hopkins Village, Denise Mccreaery, 47, reported to police on Monday that on the 12th of May, she closed her establishment and went to Loggerhead Pub on the other side of the village. After closing at 11:30 p.m., she […]

17-year-old escapes shooting attempt on his life
A 24-year-old Belize City resident, Alston Smith, has been arrested and charged by police for the offense of ‘aggravated assault’ after he fired shots at a 17-year-old male minor. The minor, accompanied by his sister, reported to police yesterday evening that around 4:45 p.m., […]

Bright future for the Corozal Commercial Free Zone
The Corozal Commercial free Zone has a bright future, officials say, defusing the now popular criticism that the place is deteriorated and unsustainable. Comparing the Free Zone’s contribution to the local economy to previous years, it has done better says Chief Executive Officer at the […]

Police find large amount of weed and ammo
Police’s Special Branch Tactical Response Squad conducted three separate searches in San Ignacio and Santa Elena Towns, Cayo District yesterday, which resulted in the discovery of 16.1 pounds of cannabis and 15 live rounds of ammunition. The first search was done around 8:40 a.m. on the banks […]

Guardian Group insurance rebrands, partners with Simpson’s
The largest financial services company in the Caribbean is partnering with a new Belize insurance agency. Guardian General Insurance Limited, trading as Guardian Group, succeeds NEM (West Indies) Insurance Limited and was previously represented by Victor L. Bryant Company Limited and Balderamos Insurance Services among […]

Blogs

“Back Home” in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize.
Amazingly (my powers of recovery are far better than I thought they would or could be) I was up, ready and at a breakfast table in the hotel by 08.30 hours on the morning following the party. Less than 4 hours alcohol aided sleep and I didn’t have a sore head. Or feel nauseous. The hard training had obviously paid off! I enjoyed a good breakfast with even better company and was able to chat with people that I just didn’t find time to chat with the previous night but all too soon it was time to say my farewells, check out of the hotel and head back to Covent Garden. I had a lunch date with my ‘little’ sister Christine who I hadn’t seen for 4 years. And we were being joined by her son Bradley, his partner Shorona and their two children, Cody and Lottie. I reached Covent Garden shortly after noon and stood outside the underground station looking left, right, straight ahead,left,right,straight ahead as throngs of people were milling around. Thirty minutes passed by. Where could she be? I checked my ‘phone. Dead. The battery had run out of charge. I looked around for a public ‘phone box (booth for non-UK readers). They’re not a common sight any more in the UK (the advent of mobiles has virtually eradicated the need). And I saw one. Not more than 60 yards away.

Hardworking, Lovely Maria and her Fabulous Fruit Market on Ambergris Caye
I have known Maria since I first moved to the island 9 years ago. And whether I was shopping there everyday, when I lived just across the street, or now, when I stop in once a week for coconut water or juice, she knows me by name, greets me with a smile and presents one of the best selections of fruit & veggies on Ambergris Caye. She has been on Ambergris Caye for 25 years. Maria has 6 children – 3 boys and 3 girls and hasn’t been back to El Salvador. She said times were tough there and she has no desire to visit. She loves Ambergris Caye. Her shop is south of town across the street from the Island Yacht Club – and the best spot to buy fresh juices – naranja, sandia, pina, coco and more. Here are some pictures of her spot where if you are friendly, you probably will get a free herb or piece of fruit thrown in your bag.

International Sources

Guatemalan drug lords are burning forests to land planes
Public Radio International has published an article which suggests that Guatemala drug lords may be responsible for the rash of fires along the Belize-Guatemalan border. Viewers will note that Belizean businessman Roger Plett was reportedly detained by what authorities insist on referring to as 'Men in military fatigues' while combating one of these border fires. Executive Director for Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD) Raphael Manzanero has also suggested that there has been evidence that drug cartels have been involved in illegal activity in the Chiquibul forest.
Drug traffickers burning down Guatemalan forest to make clandestine landing strips for planes carrying US-bound cocaine have razed an area twice the size of Manhattan this year, officials say. The Central American country has declared a state of emergency over the fires ravaging its forests, which have hit hardest along its northern border with Mexico and Belize — prime territory for drug gangs. The region, known as Peten, is known for the riches lying in its forests, including the Maya Biosphere Reserve and archaeological treasures such as the ancient city of Tikal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But those dense forests are also strategically placed hideouts for cartels trafficking cocaine from South America to the United States, officials say. "There is a strong presence of drug traffickers, who, in their daily drive to claim new territory, don't think twice of setting fire to the forest or paying poor people to do it," said Alma Polanco, director in Peten of the National Council for Protected Areas.

World Oceans Day Celebrated in Compelling Photos
From the vastness of the world’s oceans, the mystery of underwater ecosystems to humankind’s reliance on marine processes, the ocean is a wonderfully strange, altogether necessary part of our world. It is on World Oceans Day that we reflect on all of the benefits, mysteries, and wonders of the ocean. First, try to imagine the expanse of the ocean. It’s hard to conceptualize how to even think about how to imagine it! The average depth of the ocean is just over 12,000 feet. That means, that your run-of-the-mill, nothing special depth of the ocean would be just over 21 times deeper than the Washington Monument is tall.

Caribbean integration is possible, St Vincent PM tells ACS summit
Dr Ralph Gonsalves, prime minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, reaffirmed on Saturday in Havana that integration in Latin America and the Caribbean is a possible, realistic path and that its consolidation will make it possible for countries in the area to face common challenges. Speaking at the seventh summit of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), Gonsalves urged the region to work together and to use honest dialogue to resolve differences, thus promoting genuine friendship.

Videos

SNL for Belize part 1, 43min.

Ambergis Caye, Belize Vlog pt. 1, 8min. Part one of our family vacation to Belize!

BELIZE ADVENTURES! Cruise Vlog - Part 3/4, 8min.

Out & About | Travels to the North and South of Belize, 11min. I traveled to Belize twice in the past two months and this is some of the things I did on these trips with my family and my girlfriend. The April trip was very hard and very emotional, but I'm happy to be able to share some nice moments of that experience with you guys. The May trip was much needed after a very difficult previous month. The sun, sky and ocean was calling!

Belize 2015 - Travel, 9min. We stayed in a small village named Hopkins at a treehouse cabin lodge called Jungle Jeanie. This town was great because you get to blend in the the locals, eat at local restaurants, and you are centrally located in the mainland.

Mae Chevrette Art Adventure Belize 2016 720p, 2min.

Belize Zoo, 4min.

Belize - Day 1 Dive 2 Happy Hour, Ambergris Caye, Belize, 8min. Second dive of the first day of our Belize trip. The turtles, rays and sharks don't seem too concerned with divers floating close by.

June 8, 2016

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

The Patron Saint of Fishermen: San Pedro
Today, San Pedro Town is the bustling tourism capital of Belize. Not so long ago, the island was known as a small fishing village rooted in tradition and the Roman Catholic faith. We have come a long way from a quiet community with under a 100 residents, but not even development can eliminate traditions passed on from one generation to the next. One such tradition is paying homage to the Patron Saint of Fishermen, Saint Peter, who islanders believe has guided San Pedro Town throughout its transition. Saint Peter is the island’s patron saint and namesake, and as such, he is honoured each year. The celebrations embrace the island’s beginnings as a small fishing village and promotes unity as well as history, culture and tradition. Growing up, islanders have been taught the importance of Saint Peter, who has watched over generations of fishermen while out at sea, keeping them safe from harm. For those not acquainted with the Catholic religion, Saint Peter was one of Jesus’ 12 Apostles and the first Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. Originally a fisherman, Saint Peter devoted his life to spreading the word of God and died a martyr.

Hon. Patrick Faber Sworn in as Deputy Prime Minister
The Hon. Patrick Faber was today sworn in as the new Deputy Prime Minister of Belize by the Governor General of Belize H.E. Sir Colville Young at the Belize House in the City of Belmopan. Hon. Patrick Faber was sworn in as Deputy Prime Minister after recently being elected as the new First Deputy Party Leader of the United Democratic Party. He is succeeding the outgoing Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Gaspar Vega. After being sworn in, Hon. Faber thanked all those who supported him during his bid for Deputy Party Leader. The new Deputy Prime Minister pledged his support to the Prime Minister of Belize, the Governor General and other leaders of the country as he works with them in the continuing development of Belize.

Lindsey Williams is Miss Chiquitita 2016-2017
Five darling young girls participated in the annual Miss Chiquitita pageant on Saturday, June 4th, at the Angel Nuñez Auditorium. They all hoped to capture the tiara and title of Miss Chiquitita 2016-2017 during the largest fundraiser for the San Pedro Pre- School. Shortly after 7PM, the pageant began with a dance, featuring contestants Carolina Salinas, Sandi Flores, Monique Garcia, Lindsey Williams, and Evelin Pichola. As final scores were tabulated, outgoing Miss Chiquitita Killianie Sosa gave her final walk on stage before the winner was announced. Miss Amity went to the enthusiastic and smiling Carolina Salinas, while the prize for most photogenic went to Monique Garcia. MC’s Angel Nuñez and Adrianne Hernandez announced the winner, and to the sound of drum-rolls, Miss Chiquitita 2016-2017 is Lindsey Williams!

Ambergris Today

When the Power Goes Out in Belize
Power Outages – Yes they are common occurrences in Belize. Hey! We are still considered living in a third world country and from time to time, the power goes out; sometimes for a few minutes and at times for some stressful hours. They come unannounced and sometimes they are scheduled when the power company has to conduct maintenance. Well what happens in Belize when there is a scheduled power outage? We get out of the house – PRONTO! There is no point staying in when you know there is going to be power outage. It’s torture to stay home – you can’t watch TV, can’t open the fridge to eat something because you will let out the cold air, can’t heat up anything in the microwave, can’t turn on the fan OR air conditioning; pretty much everything runs on electricity…WHY STAY HOME!? It’s HOT! If you stay home you will only suffer from immeasurable sweating (like really). It’s the rainy season, but summertime is a scorcher in the tropics. GET OUT OF THE HOUSE, I SAY! And the best thing, especially here in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, is that the beach is only about a three minute walk away – at the most!!! People on the island get on their golf carts and take a drive, some hit the beach or the nearest bar and/or restaurant!!! If the power outage happens at night we sit out on the porch (or head to the beach) for some star-gazing; add a bottle of wine and its GOLDEN!

Ministry of Health Advises on Exposure to Smoke from Bush Fires
The San Pedro Town Council has made a similar announcement for Ambergris Caye in which they kindly advise the general public that any type of burning is an offense and that burning of any type of garbage is completely prohibited in residential areas since it is a health hazard and puts at risk any buildings in the surrounding area. Island residents are urged to report any type of burning in private property that is a nuisance to the public; reports can be made to the San Pedro Fire Department by calling 206-2372. The poor air quality may continue for an unpredictable time as the country is at the peak of the dry season when the ignition of fires is common. Persons engaging in any form of burning during this dry season is advised to exercise care to contain the fire at source and put out any fire that shows sign of possible spread.

Body Found South of Island, No Foul Play Suspected
The body of an American male was found floating near the southern part of Ambergris Caye on Monday, June 6, 2016, but the San Pedro Police Department says it does not suspect foul play. The body of the 66 year old was discovered about two and a half miles south of San Pedro Town with no signs of violence on it. Police are ruling it as a sudden death and say that his family explains that the deceased suffered from seizures.

Misc Belizean Sources

Mr Herbert Trapp needs your prayers
Good morning Mr Herbert Trapp is very ill in the KHMH he needs your prayers. H. A. Was one of Belize's best football player

Hon. Gaspar Vega’s Address at the 7th Association of Caribbean States Summit in Havana, Cuba
A warm and resounding thank you President Raúl Castro Ruz... It would be remiss of me not to note the tremendous warmth and good will that has been extended by you personally, your Government and the Cuban people on the occasion of this 7th ACS Summit. Secretary General Ambassador Alfonso Múnera, Distinguished Heads of State, Ministers, Delegates, All. I believe gratitude is also in order for the outgoing Chairman – not only was the business of our organization conducted with finesse, but with a horizon of a better positioned ACS for the future. Belize of course applauds the election of Ambassador June Soomer to the position of Secretary General, and as was mentioned by Foreign Minister Elrington when he introduced her yesterday, we have no doubts that she will continue the tradition of excellence set by our present Secretary General Múnera. We believe that Dr. Sooner’s invaluable experience in Caricom, will allow us, within the ACS, to capitalize on regional strengths, whilst working within the framework of a rejuvenated and repositioned association.

Grupo Super Lamas at the Costa Maya Festival
Are you ready to sing "YO QUIERO CHUPAR"??? The Costa Maya Festival is excited to present Grupo Super Lamas. They will perform live on Saturday, August 6, 2016. Follow the link to learn more about them and to listen to their other hit songs.

The Placencia Breeze June 2016
Pg 3 BTIA news Pg 7 Jessea Marie Lobsterfest Artwork Pg 9 BTB & BTIA Social Media Workshop Pg 10 Placencia BTIA Lobsterfest Raffle Prizes Pg 11 PVC Mothers Day Dinner / Pack for a Purpose / De La Fuente Family Celebration Pg 12 Beautification of Seine Bight Pg 13 Lobsterfest Schedule / Hands Across the Sand Pg 15 & 18 Placencia BTIA Members Pg 16 & 17 Placencia Peninsula Map Pg 22 Battle Cancer Walk Pg 24 New Placencia Fire Station / Placencia Sailing Club Pg 25 On the Peninsula - A Visitor's View Pg 26 Community Corner Pg 27 PHS News Pg 29 Rotary Senior's Lunch / PVC Five A Side / Lobsterfest Event Information / Where in the World is the Breeze Pg 30/31 Paid Listings / Seine Bight Womens Softball Team

BELIZE FISHING REPORT: Weeks of May 29th – June 4th, 2016
Our guests from Columbia South America seemed to be drawn to tarpon, to the extent that most of them skipped over the bonefish, Congratulations to Alvaro, Liliana, Luz, Monica, Julio, and Juan for their perseverance in the pursuit of tarpon. Most of them landed some tarpon but all of them had some extended fights. Other tarpon masters included Jason, Matt, Damon, Brandon, John, and Justin! A good solid tarpon week with Migratory tarpon moving in more and more.

Fraud Alert
That major payout you've been promised, if it seems WAY too good to be true...chances are, it is. The Financial Intelligence Unit is aware, and they say, BEWARE!

Splashers
Here is our inspiration photo for this week at Crazy Canucks 2p.m. We will paint our own versions using this picture as inspiration. You can change the color of your boat change the background colors etc.

San Pedro Police Department North Sub-Station
The San Pedro Police Department North Sub-Station already installed in its permanent location.

Poets Corner: Pontius Pilate
By Abdulmajeed K Nunez. Vega’s resigning was throwing a tantrum He did try to give Deeno an ultimatum But Deeno does not take kind to ultimatums Saldivars alleged uprising is a tantrum Imagine this G11 gave Deeno an ultimatum Deeno knows his power is maximum He does not listen to minister throwing tantrums He knows the minions in his kingdom This makes him oblivious to provocation They are throwing the blame on the media The first one was the prime minister Sedi blame the media for causing panic of Guatemala Johnny Saldivar di blame di media Saying no demands were made of his beloved prime minister The Council of Churches di blame di media

Tapir wondering on the Chalillo Lake
With the arrival of the rains, new shoots are appearing on the landscape.

Channel 7

Patrick Faber, DPM
It's official: Patrick Faber is Belize's Deputy Prime Minister. The four-term representative was elected Deputy Leader of the UDP 10 days ago and today he took the oath as the Deputy Prime Minister before the Governor General. It's an ascension which has caused some friction in the UDP and the political directorate - since a majority of cabinet ministers opposed Faber in the convention. But, as the old saying goes, the winner takes it all - and today, Faber came to work looking spiffy in a pinstripe suit. We saw it when he strode into the Sir Edney Cain building for the Cabinet meeting - and two hours later when he came out, we asked him about it. Jules Vasquez: "Sir, its a very hot day and you are in a very warm suite. What's the occasion?" Hon. Patrick Faber, Deputy Prime Minister: "Well as you know I'll be sworn in this afternoon as the country's new DPM. So it is a special day."

Is All Well In UDP Cabinet?
And so Faber's ascension is confirmed, but is all well in Cabinet? We know that in the immediate aftermath of the convention there were very many ruffled feathers in the political directorate - and rumours of a Cabinet mutiny in the making. It never happened - but it has been widely reported that the disgruntled ministers who did not support Faber did put a list of cabinet and party ultimatums to the Prime Minister. They form the majority in Cabinet, while Faber only had three ministers supporting him. A week has passed and passions have subsided, but is the rift healed? That's what we asked today:... Jules Vasquez: "Mr. Finnegan, you have served in multiple cabinets under Mr. Esquivel." Hon. Michael Finnegan, UDP Party Whip: "Five." Jules Vasquez: "Great. Sir, explain to me what was the mood in there like when we have a new deputy prime minister? It doesn't happen very often in the term of the life of a government."

Juniour Like Justin: "Is It Too Late To Say Sorry?"
But one minister who is accused of really putting a dent in party unity is Manuel "Juniour" Herredia. In the heat of the moment when Faber was declared the winner at the May 29th convention - Herredia said that those ministers who supported Faber were "most humble and honest." So what does that say about his colleagues? That they aren't humble or honest? Today, we asked him about the rift that his statements caused:... Jules Vasquez: "Accusing, humility and honesty are the two hallmarks of being a politician. If you had said they are ugly, well it's not important in politician whether you are ugly or handsome, but you imply that they were neither honest not humble. Sir, this is a very deep insult. Will you be able to recover and regain the support if the cabinet colleagues?" Hon. Manuel Heredia, Minister of Tourism: "Well Jules, speaking for myself, I believe, I consider myself a humble and honest guy. Like I said, if what I said, I didn't say it with bad intentions. I feel that all of them are honest. There are people that are more honest than others, but I believe they are honest also. They are honest people, genuine people and like I said probably I went a little too far, but I have apologized and there is nothing wrong in being humble and humiliating yourself many times for the interest of the party right."

Natural Resources Minister Took A Stand Against Cabinet Colleagues
And so far in the news tonight, you've heard all about Cabinet - and the tensions - or lack thereof - between those Ministers who support Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber and those who did not. Caught up somewhere in there is Natural Resources Minister Godwin Hulse. It seems the unelected minister has come under attack for doing his job without paying enough attention to the political dimension of his powerful ministry. No doubt, the Lands Department at the center of his ministry has been a political war chest, probably since independence…and now that Hulse has put the brakes on long established practices, he's become persona non grata within his own party. Reports last week were that the 11 wanted him gone. Now that has not been officially confirmed but Hulse did feel the need to defend himself today. We asked him about it after Cabinet:.. Jules Vasquez: "You have come under attack, that those who have their misgivings about the current direction of the government feel that you are at the center of the problem - your own colleagues in the cabinet are targeting you. How do you respond to that?"

Belizean Loses Life In Houston Accident
One Belizean is dead and another injured after a terrible accident in Houston, Texas. Well known entertainer and former PUP city council candidate Lennox "Tambran" Young, was driving back to Belize from Houston this morning. He was along with 2 friends Corozal resident Sostenes Tamai and Police Coach Amin August. Reports are that, DJ Tambran stopped at an Auto Parts shop in Northwest Harris County, Houston. That is when a truck rammed into them, injuring DJ Tambran but killing Tamai. Best information at this time is that August was unharmed. We spoke to DJ Tambran's younger brother Leroy "Tambran" Young and he told us what he knew about the accident. Leroy "Tambran" Young, Brother: "I got a call about 9:30 this morning from Houston that my brother was okay, he only had a broken hand. But the passenger with him Mr. Mai from Corozal died." Courtney Weatherburne: "As you were saying your brother he was going to buy vehicle parts in Houston. He was driving a long the road. What do you understand happened?"

Gapi Gave It To Jimmy
Foreign Affairs Minister Wilfred Elrington arrived back in country over the weekend. That's after spending just over 2 weeks abroad on a diplomatic mission to increase awareness about the recent difficulties between Belize and Guatemala. Today, he hosted a press conference, which we will get to shortly, but first, to the final event that Elrington attended. That's the 7th Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Association of Caribbean States. IT was held over the weekend in Havana, Cuba and both Belize and Guatemala had representation among the 32 member countries. Gaspar Vega represented Belize in his final act as Deputy Prime Minister. And - in his swan song - he certainly turned heads on the international stage with his last official speech as Deputy Prime Minister. When it was his turn to speak, he used a portion of his over 8 minute speech to address the Belize Guatemala territorial dispute, focusing on Guatemala's recently enforced possession of the Sarstoon River. Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales, who heard it for himself, immediately rebutted. The exchange resembled the kind of back and forth that the Belizean public has come to expect from the politicians across the floor at House Meetings.

Hon. Elrington Says Vega Was Spot On
As you saw in both clips, Foreign Affairs Minister Wilfred Elrington and his Guatemalan counterpart were also present as representatives. So, what does Elrington make of the exchange? That's what the we asked him this afternoon at a press conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Belmopan. Here's what he had to say: Jules Vasquez: "Were those advised remarks? Did you encourage him, coach him or lead him into making those remarks?" Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs: "Jules the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is made up of a number of very talented professionals who literally put together everything that we say, so that declarations are never impromptu. They are always prepared by officials of the government." Jules Vasquez: "Well according to President Morales, the Deputy Prime Minister Vega, used the wrong forum and in fact spoke unfairly at that event. What is your view on the response from President Morales?"

Hon. Elrington Says Sarstoon Situation Normalised
So, to the status of Belize's use of the Sarstoon River. As we told you, immediately after the Istanbul talks, the Prime Minister's Office announced that there was an informal agreement between the Belizean and Guatemalan delegations that Belizeans would enjoy "untrammeled access" to the Sarstoon. That news came after a joint statement was issued by both Foreign Ministries which only mentioned the Sarstoon in passing. A few days later Channel 5 and Krem tested this informal agreement, and they found that the Guatemalans behaved pretty much the same way they did before the talks, by blockading the Belizeans from free movement through the river. It appeared that the Guatemalans supposedly agreed to one thing in the meetings, and did exactly the opposite of that. So, for the first time since he returned, we asked Elrington for an explanation of what happened with that media blockade. He said that that the Guatemalans' position is that the message had unfortunately not arrived to the Guatemalan military based in Sarstoon, and that's why the press was stopped:

Police: Paris Champagne Didn't Die From Poison
Last night, we told you how Porfilio Rodriguez, the transgender individual better known as Vanessa Champagne Paris, died on Saturday night at the Dangriga Hospital. Well, a post-mortem examination was conducted at the KHMH morgue, and police tell us that the results reveal that she died of natural causes, not suicide. Independence Police tell us that she died of , quote, "bronchial aspiration", or difficulty breathing. As we reported, her parents rushed her to Dangriga Hospital after she started complaining about stomach pains. Her health took a turn for the worse in the hospital, and she died.

From Burn Victim To Valedictorian
23 year old Danay Chavarria was almost burnt alive 18 years ago. She was at a BBQ when her a relative accidently started a fire. What happened at that house changed Chavarria's life forever but surprisingly, Chavarria told us she is happy for the experience because she wouldn't be half the person she is today if it hadn't been for that. Here is Danay's story.... Danay Chavarria, Burnt Victim: "My fellow graduates, let us continue to grow positively. Let us engrave our marks of accomplishment in the history book of WJC so that others may be motivated to build their selves, build our communities and build Belize." Courtney Weatherburne reporting: Those were the final words from Danay Chavarria's Valedictorian speech. She graduated from Wesley College on Saturday May 21st with an Associate's Degree in Information Technology.

Caught With Thirteen Turtles
This afternoon, the Fisheries Department made a major bust of Hicatee turtles just outside of Lords Bank Village. Today, we got to see the illegal catch, including 13 live turtles ranging from sizes of 1 foot to 16 inches in length, all caught unlawfully, according to fisheries officers. We understand that the Fisheries officers stopped a vehicle and conducted a search, in which they found 3 of the turtles, and a quick investigation led to the seizure of the other. These two men, an uncle and his nephew will be facing multiple fisheries charges tomorrow at the Magistrate's Court. When that happens, we'll have the details for you.

Ready Call CEO Has To Pay SS Arrears For 500 Workers, Pronto!
Ready Call is one of the largest employers in the country, hiring several hundreds of people at a time for its various services, but tonight their CEO 46 year old Nubia Ramirez Moreno, could end up in jail if she can't pay 141 thousand dollars in social security arrears within two weeks! She appeared before Senior Magistrate Sharon Frazer this morning where she was read a charge for failing to make social security payments for 500 employees between February and April of this year. On Tuesday May 31st Inspector Lawrence Lopez made a report against Ready Call Center after he discovered that they were over $100 thousand dollars in arrears. As a result CEO Moreno was summoned to the court today. Moreno, appeared without an attorney, and pleaded guilty. As a result she was fined $500 dollars for the single count of failure to pay social security contributions. In addition to that she was also ordered to pay her company's debt of $141,561 dollars and 80 cents by June 20th. That's only 13 days. Failure to pay that debt could result in immediate imprisonment.

A Conference On Climate
Today at the George Price Center in Belmopan, the National Met Service held its National Climate Outlook Forum. The idea is to speak with stakeholders, in sectors such as agriculture and tourism, about the Met Service's seasonal outlook - with a focus on the rainy season which runs from June to November. Adrian Trotman, the Chief of Applied Meteorology and Climatology for the Caribbean Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology participated. We spoke to him and the Deputy Chief of the Belize Meteorology Department about their seasonal outlook and the purpose for sharing this information in stakeholder consultations:. The stake holder's conference today included representatives from sectors like agriculture, water, energy, health, and disaster management.

Beat Down Down South Leaves Man Critical
Independence police are investigating an attempted robbery last Saturday night that now has a man on life support at the KHMH. It happened at around 10:00 in front of M&M; Gas Station where a woman and 3 men were heading home. That's when a group of 6 young men pounced and tried to rob the woman of her purse. The men intervened, and that's when the would-be robbers assaulted them. Our information is that Ernesto Guerra, one of the 4 victims, was bashed over the head with a cement block. He was rushed to the KHMH where he remains unconscious.

Channel 5

Patrick Faber is Sworn in as Deputy Prime Minister
There is a new Deputy Prime Minister. He is thirty-nine year old Patrick Faber who moves up to the second most powerful man in the corridors of power in Belmopan [...]

Sedi Says Gapi’s Statement on Guatemalan Hostility was Sanctioned by G.O.B.
The Istanbul talks on the Sarstoon were held on May twenty-third, and today was the first opportunity the media has had to debrief Minister of Foreign Affairs Wilfred Elrington, so [...]

Did Gaspar Vega’s Comments Help or Hurt an Already Fragile Situation?
While Guatemalan officials have not hesitated at any point to name and shame Belize, those very same Guatemalan officials have bristled whenever Belizean officials question the actions of their government. [...]

Foreign Minister Weighs in on State of Affairs at Sarstoon
On May twenty-seventh, just days after the Istanbul talks and word of an informal agreement allowing untrammeled access to the Sarstoon, Guatemalan Armed Forces refused to allow access to News [...]

Is P.U.P.’s Guatemalan-approved Trip to Sarstoon an Assertion of Sovereignty?
The media was stopped by the GAF, but an expedition of P.U.P. parliamentarians and executive members who made the trip exactly one week after were not. In fact, that expedition [...]

Do You Think Additional Taxes Will be Imposed Given the Grim IMF Economic Report?
And tonight’s question is: Given the grim IMF economic report, do you think additional taxes will be imposed? Send your comments and responses using your SMART phones to 8686 or [...]

Belizean Car Dealers are Victims in Fatal RTA in Houston
A two-vehicle crash in the westbound lanes of W. Mount Houston in northwest Harris County has left one Belizean dead and another hospitalized in the U.S. Car dealers, Lennox “DJ [...]

Will Deputy Prime Minister Faber be Assigned a New Portfolio?
Earlier we reported on the ascension of Patrick Faber to Deputy Prime Minister. But will he be assigned a new portfolio now that he is officially second in command of [...]

G.O.B. Braces for Challenging Times After Dismal IMF Report
Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber is the only elected official within the Barrow Administration to comment on the dismal IMF report. While he admits that government is bracing for difficult [...]

Has Belize’s Rhetoric in Guatemalan Discussions Changed?
Against the backdrop of everything happening in diplomatic halls and in the Sarstoon, has Belize’s rhetoric changed somewhat? For months all Belizeans heard out of meetings between countries was talk [...]

Fisheries Department Busts Illegal Hicatee Harvest
The Fisheries Department made a huge bust this morning of the endangered hicatee turtle. For two weeks, they have been monitoring persons of interest carrying out illegal operations in the [...]

Seguros Will Face Charges for Illegal Hicatee Catch
Fisheries Officer Rigoberto Quintana says the Seguros will be charged for a number of offenses including the possession of more than three hicatees as well as for the hicatee nets. [...]

C.E.O. of Ready Call Charged for Failure to Make Social Security Payments
There were significant cases today before the courts. We start with the case against the C.E.O. of the Ready Call Center which is located at the junction of the Burrell [...]

Murder Trial of Shane Gillett; Judge Reserves Ruling
Justice Adolph Lucas will give his ruling in the murder trial of thirty-year old Burrell Boom resident, Shane Gillett, next week. Gillett is the suspect in the murder of Samuel [...]

So What Really Killed Champagne Paris?
The family of Vanessa Champagne Paris has asked for privacy following her death on Saturday night. Born Porfelio Rodriguez Junior, he became a transgender woman years ago and transitioned to [...]

An Update on Plett Abduction
On May twelfth, Belizeans Roger Plett and Rudy Friesen were taken off Belizean soil on a farm they worked in an area known as Green Hills which adjoins the Guatemalan [...]

Is Foreign Minister Elrington Downplaying the Gravity of Plett Incident?
We note that in our last conversation with the Ministry of National Security C.E.O. George Lovell, he said that police investigations confirmed Plett’s story. Lovell explained that it was in [...]

There’s a Need for Fisheries Protocol in Sarstoon
So back to the Sarstoon. One of the major criticisms in that area has been that Guatemalan fisherfolk have been allowed to fish freely in Belizean waters, at times travelling [...]

World Ocean’s Day Celebrated in Belize
World Ocean’s Day is being celebrated across the globe this Wednesday under the theme, “Healthy Oceans, Healthy Planet.” Locally, OCEANA Belize is commemorating this day through a Better Bag Initiative [...]

Audubon Society Promotes Reusable Bags
The Belize Audubon Society is also joining in the efforts to keep the environment safe and clean. The N.G.O. is also making available reusable bags to the public. The first [...]

CTV3

Elrington Speaks On Belize/Guatemala Disputes
Following the PUP’s successful trip to the Sarstoon in which they circled the Island without interference from the Guatemalans on June 3rd, unofficial information was that the Guatemalans sent a letter to the Government of Belize declaring that they still exercise sovereignty over the Island. They reportedly added that the excursion taken by the PUP of less than 20 people was not intercepted by the Guatemalan Armed Forces because the Guatemalans had been informed about the trip and they recognized that it was meant as an educational visit. Today, during an interview with the media, Minister of Foreign Affairs Wilfred Elrington was questioned about those allegations. Honorable Wilfred Elrington – Minister of Foreign Affairs: “I not only was told that but I was told that by word of mouth and by the Foreign Minister of Guatemala and I was shown the boats, I think they were two boats going around because the Guatemalans had photographed them, they did not see the drone but it was on top photographing every move they made and the Guatemalan do it...”

Belize Has New Deputy Prime Minister
After his recent victory as the new First Deputy Party Leader of the United Democratic Party today the Hon. Patrick Faber was sworn in as the new Deputy Prime Minister of Belize by the Governor General of Belize Sir Colville Young at the Belize House in the City of Belmopan. Following the ceremony, Faber spoke to the media and addressed important issues of unity that have been surrounding the party since the Deputy Leadership convention that was held last week. Honorable Patrick Farber – Deputy Party Leader: “They all as well accept that I am now the new deputy leader of the party that I am now the Deputy Prime Minister of the country and in fact things have improved tremendously from last week when you camp out in front of the Cabinet and I will expect that things will continue if there is anything that you continue to persist that there is still something under the circus I am telling you that by the time that we get by that 2020 convention there will not be that kind of feeling at all.”

Corozal Well-Known Mechanic Loses Life In Houston Texas
A well-known mechanic from Corozal Town is tonight dead after he was involved in a traffic accident in West Mount Houston, Northwest Harris County. Reports coming out of Houston indicate that the accident happened at about 8:30 this morning as this black Nissan Xterra driven at the time by Lenox Young better known as DJ Tambran was coming out of Import Center Junk Yard on Highway 249. We understand that as the vehicle entered into the highway the driver of this pickup truck ran into the driver side of the Xterra killing Tamay on the spot. Also traveling in the Xterra at the time of the incident was 55 year old retired Superintendent Amin August from the Cayo District. Today via phone from Houston Texas August spoke to us about the dreadful accident.

LOVE FM

Foreign Minister Weighs in on Vega’s Speech in Cuba
Yesterday we told you of Belize being represented in Cuba by the former Deputy Prime Minister Gasper Vega and Foreign Minister Sedi Elrington. That meeting saw Vega carrying out his last deed as the Deputy Prime Minister in delivering a speech that caught Guatemalan President, Jimmy Morales off guard as Vega spoke of the aggression […]

OAS Prepare to Launch Investigation into Death of Guatemalan Child
The Organization of American States is looking to launch the investigation into the shooting death of the 13-year-old Guatemalan child who was killed in the Chiquibul area of the Cayo District. Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington explained where the process is currently at. WILFRED ELRINGTON ” The Guatemalan minor, Julio Rene Alvarado was shot in April […]

Two Men Detained for City Shooting
This evening around five o’clock there was a shoot out on Vernon Street where it is suspected that one male individual from a gang fired shots at another male individual from a rival gang. The police have apprehended two people who they suspect to be the intended victim and the shooter. Assistant Commissioner of Police […]

The Guats Were Spying on the PUP at the Sarstoon
Last week the People’s United Party made a trip to the Sarstoon in the form of an educational venture with the participation of the party’s officials and parliamentarians. Opposition Leader, John Briceno had told Love News that the Prime Minister was informed of their intention. Incidentally, there were no Guatemalan armed forces blocking them from […]

Duo Busted with Out -of-Season Hicatee Turtles
While the Hicatee turtle is considered a delectable dish, there are regulations that come with catching these turtles. The Fisheries Department in Belize City made a huge bust today. Acting on information received, the officers caught two men, one in Ladyville Village and one in Biscayne Village with three and thirteen turtles respectively. Fisheries Officer […]

Faber Replaces Vega as Deputy Prime Minister
Minister Patrick Faber was sworn in this afternoon as the Deputy Prime Minister at the Belize House in Belmopan, Cayo District. Faber told the media this afternoon that he has plans of hard work in an effort to reach his goal of leading the country as the Prime Minister. Faber also spoke of the evident […]

Godwin Hulse Confronts Cabinet Colleagues
Last week we told you of a meeting held post-Cabinet where some demands or requests were brought before the Prime Minister involving the Deputy Prime Minister’s post as well as that of the Minister of Lands, Godwin Hulse. Since his taking over of Lands, there have been reports that Hulse’s Cabinet colleagues are unhappy of […]

Hulse Cleans Hotbed Mess at Lands Department
In October 2013 the Prime Minister Dean Barrow referred to the Lands Department as a hot bed of corruption. It has been an area of concern for many years as there have been under table deals and cases of fraud; a status quo that Minister Godwin Hulse has been trying to change via a new […]

PlusTV

Man shot in the face at Dangriga gambling establishment
A man was killed in Dangriga on Friday night. 35 year old John Rodriquez was shot to the face while he was at a gambling establishment on Havana street. According to police, on Friday night at about 11 o’clock, Rodriguez was in the establishment playing one of the electronic gambling machine along w...

Guilty of double murder; Ervin Reneau jailed for life
45 year old Ervin Alexander Reneau accused of the murders of security guards 39 year old David Allan Longsworth and Edgar Ayala almost six years ago on November 30, 2010 was convicted by Supreme Court Justice Adolph Lucas, sitting without a jury. Delivering the oral judgment today, Justice Lucas sta...

UDP sweeping village council elections so far
The first round of village council elections got on the way this weekend, Sunday June 5th. 43 villages got to choose a village chairman and 6 village councilors this past Sunday; 301 seats in total for the first wave of village council elections. The United Democratic party has continued with its ti...

Body of man found floating in San Pedro waters
San Pedro police are investigating the sudden death of an American national on the island. Police say that the 66 year old man was found floating in the sea by a watch patrol in the area. Initial investigation reveals that the American national, whose name police have not released as yet, was standi...

OAS Independent Commission starts investigation next week
An Independent Commission sent by the OAS will start its investigation into the death of the Guatemalan minor Julio Rene Alvarado who was killed while illegally poaching in Belizean territory. The minor was shot after the Belize Defense Force were shot at by Guatemalans in the Chiquibul Rese...

Belizean spring authorized for Guatemalan use?
While Guatemala continues to say that Belize has violated the human rights of its people because Guatemalans who shoot after BDF have been injured or killed in self defense, Belize continues to show good will to the Guatemalan citizens. Despite protests from some sections of the Belizean society, Gu...

DPM Vega addresses Belize Guatemala issue 7th Summit of the Association of Caribbean States
Early last week, PlusNews had informed the nation that Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega would step down to allow Patrick Faber to become Deputy Prime Minister after one last representation of the nation internationally. That representation took place at the 7th Summit of the Association of Caribbe...

Amandala

“John Jay” killed in Dangriga game room
Popular karaoke singer and Sweet Pain Band guest singer, John Narcissus “John Jay” Rodriguez, Jr., 35, of Hopkins, the father of a little girl, died after he was shot in the left side of the head at about 11:00 Friday night in the Havana electronic game room on Havana Road in Dangriga Town while he and three others were playing electronic games. The witnesses reported that at about 11:00 that night, three robbers entered to rob the game room and ordered the cashier to open her area so that they could enter to steal the money from the cash register, but she refused, and that was when one of the bandits, who was armed with a 9mm pistol, fired a shot at the men, who were playing on the machines. The slug grazed the neck of Stanley Venai, 38, one of the men playing on the machines, but struck Rodriguez in the left side of the head. The three robbers then ran away empty handed. Rodriguez fell to the floor and died almost immediately

“The Greatest,” Muhammad Ali, dead at 74
The world paused in grief last Friday when the announcement was made that the greatest sportsman to set foot inside the boxing ring, the former three-time heavyweight champion of the world, Muhammad Ali, had died at the age of 74. Muhammad Ali died at Honor Health Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center, where he was admitted on Thursday for a respiratory ailment. He also suffered from Parkinson’s disease, with which he had been diagnosed and had been battling for 32 years, Bob Gunnel, a family spokesman, said on Friday. Muhammad Ali was arguably the most famous athlete on planet earth, and his boxing career, which spanned several decades, was nothing short of exciting, colorful and charismatic, as the champ was also a confident man who was not short of lyrical expressions, which emanated from his immense self-confidence. Muhammad Ali had a voracious appetite for seeing the world and had travelled to many places, including British Honduras (Belize) in July 1965, and many Belizeans remember that historic trip.

Did famous drag queen die of poisoning?
Vanessa Champagne Paris, 21, born Perfilio Rodriguez, who was noted for dressing like, and living the life of, a woman despite being biologically male, died of what is suspected to be food poisoning on Friday night, June 3. According to Independence police reports, Rodriguez had gone to Dangriga on the morning of Wednesday, June 1, to apply for his Social Security card and other personal documents. When he returned to Independence on Wednesday night at around 8:30 p.m., he reportedly began to complain of chronic pain in the stomach. On Thursday, his father found him almost unconscious on the floor at their home and rushed him to a polyclinic and then to the Southern Regional Hospital on Friday after his condition had worsened. On Friday, June 3, at about 10 p.m. Rodriguez was pronounced dead by a medical doctor.

Ervin Reneau, 44, gets life for double murder
A Belize City man who has been on remand since 2010 when he was first accused of a double murder at a Belize City gas station will now take up a permanent residence at the Belize Central Prison after he was found guilty of the double murder and was sentenced to life in prison this morning in the Supreme Court. Supreme Court Justice, Adolph Lucas, who heard the two indictments against Ervin Reneau, 44, without a jury, handed down his guilty of murder ruling this morning. Reneau was found guilty on the first indictment for the unlawful death of David Longsworth, 39, and Edgar Ayala, a security guard who was posted at the Texaco gas station. Justice Lucas told Reneau, “On the whole of the evidence, I am sure that you shot and killed David Longsworth on 30 November 2010, and that you had no legal justification or partial excuse to cause his death. Therefore I find you guilty on the first count of the indictment.”

Opposition leader John Briceño leads PUP on successful Sarstoon trip
The Leader of the Opposition, flanked by his chairman, deputy party leaders, senators and other party officials, led a successful expedition to the Sarstoon on Friday, June 3. The Prime Minister quickly sprang into action, contacting the Guatemalan Foreign Minister and then the OAS Secretary General, after he was informed in an act of courtesy on Thursday by Hon. John Briceño about the PUP’s proposed Sarstoon trip. Senior PUP officials claim that the purpose of this trip, organized by the PUP leader, was not to gain political mileage nor to stir provocation, and therefore, none of the media houses were initially invited to join. However, word was leaked to them and they soon found themselves onboard. The large blue boat which carried the senior PUP officials was scheduled to leave the docking area by Joe Taylor Bridge, near Punta Gorda, at 10 a.m. However, it left almost an hour later, as the contracted captain almost abandoned the PUP expedition, as was the case when the first Sarstoon trip was announced by the PUP.

Belize most vulnerable in Central America to sea level rise
Earlier this week, we picked up a brochure from a booth display set up by the Development Finance Corporation (DFC) promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency financing to Belize’s private sector, with an offer of up to $200,000 per project for upgrades and installation. The scheme is being financed by a $2 million investment window established by the DFC in collaboration with the Caribbean Development Bank and the Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology and Public Utilities. According to the publication, by 2100 Belize’s population is projected to reach 1 million, but at the same time, substantial portions of the country could be under water due to sea level rise, exacerbating demand for natural resources. Global warming is said to be the culprit, and the novel energy financing is intended to help scale back some of its effects. In March, research published by the Nature journal and featured in the Washington Post indicates that sea levels are rising twice as fast as had been previously estimated, and the projection says that it will rise more than 6 feet by the end of the century.

BDFA 1st Division Football Competition Week 5 results
The Belize District Football Association (BDFA) 1st Division Football Tournament 2016 continued over the weekend with Week 5 games at the MCC. On Saturday, June 4, Eiley FC clipped Lake I Bombers, 1-0, with a goal from Dalton Cayetano (8’). In Sunday’s opener, Ladyville Jaguars and FC Elite played to a 2-2 draw. Brandon Cacho (18’) and Juan Ardon (85’) scored for the Jaguars, while Kevin Young (11’) and David Ramos (70’) tallied for FC Elite. And in the nightcap, it was Stars Academy keeping their undefeated record intact with a 2-0 win over West Lake, courtesy of a goal each by Ryan Simpson (21’) and Steven Baizer (83’). There are 4 more weeks of regular season games remaining before the top 4 teams go on to the knockout semifinals.

Football family mourns the passing of Herbert “H.A.” Trapp
The Football Federation of Belize (FFB) extends sincere condolence to the Trapp family of Esperanza Village, Cayo, on the loss of Herbert Trapp. “H.A” as he was known to many, contributed to the sport of football in Belize in his early days, and left a tremendous impact on the then youths of the country, especially those in the Cayo District. The FFB will continue to recognize the late Mr. Trapp for his good will and contributions to the sport. He will be sadly missed by all football enthusiasts throughout Belize. May he rest in peace and rise in glory. (Ed. Note: Our sincere condolences also from the sports desk to all members of the Trapp family in Esperanza. H.A.’s Esperanza Warriors, which included a number of his younger brothers, was one of the founding member teams in the first Belize semipro league back in 1991.)

Belize District Primary School Football Champions 2016
Today at the MCC Grounds, the finals were held for the Belize District Primary Schools Football Competition 2016; and when it was over, St. John Vianney had emerged as female champions and San Pedro RC as male champions. Below are the teams that played today and their respective titles coming into the finals: MALE: St. John Vianney (1st place Belize City); Hattieville Gov’t (1st place Rural); Belize Elementary (2nd place Belize City); San Pedro RC (2nd place Rural). FEMALE: Belize Elementary (1st place Belize City); Ladyville Evangelical (1st place Rural); St. John Vianney (2nd place Belize City); San Pedro RC (2nd place Rural). Females played 15-15 (15 minute halves), while the males played 20-20; and the tournament followed a simple knockout format, with no third place games played.

Muhammad Ali (1942-2016)
After the young Cassius Marcellus Clay won Olympic gold in the light-heavyweight boxing class at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome, Italy, he turned professional under a management syndicate of twelve millionaires from his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. There is absolutely no indication that any of these twelve rich men were black, and Cassius Marcellus was, of course, a black American. The issue of race in America was not one with which the people of British Honduras, which had a majority black population in 1960, were well acquainted at the time. The slavery of black people had been abolished in the United States in 1865, but it was followed by something called “Jim Crow” in the mainly agricultural Southern states. Jim Crow was something like apartheid in South Africa, in that it involved the separation of the white and black races. Jim Crow was supposed to mean “separate but equal,” but the race separation, referred to as “segregation” in America, led to the growth of plush, luxurious white facilities and institutions, such as schools, hospitals, entertainment centers, and other public institutions, while their black equivalents were rundown and dilapidated. In addition, and more startling, the violence perpetrated with impunity by whites against blacks, featuring lynchings organized by racist white groups such as the Ku Klux Klan, became the bloody brand of Jim Crow in the American South.

From the Publisher
Soon after the People’s United Party (PUP) were swept back into office in late August of 1998, they made a decision to divest or privatize Radio Belize. As a result of how that PUP administration carried out that divestment/privatization, a former public officer became a multimillionaire. All the “good stuff” from 40 years of the British Honduras Broadcasting Corporation (BHBS) and Radio Belize were given to LOVE FM, which had begun broadcasting in February of 1993, while the scraps went to KREM Radio, which had begun broadcasting in November of 1989. For history’s and journalism’s sake, there are many questions which should have been asked and which should still be asked about the birth of LOVE FM and the divestment/privatization of Radio Belize. But it is not for me to ask those questions, because, as an interested party, I would have a conflict of interest during the course of any such an investigation. Whatever the case, as a former performer in various capacities on BHBS and Radio Belize from the mid-1950s until the late 1970s, I have the right to ask what happened to all the BHBS and Radio Belize tapes. What happened to the library? What happened to all the records and archives? The taping technology was old school, of course, but the taping technology and the technicians at the monopoly radio station were world class.

IMF concedes that neoliberalism “increased inequality”
Out of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) the Deputy Director Jonathan D. Ostry, the Division Chief Prakash Loungani and Economist Davide Furceri of the Research Department have published a report entitled “Neoliberalism: Oversold?” offering some insider dissent to the exploitative political, social and economic ideology with which most of us live, today. Aditya Chakrabortty responded to the report with a Guardian article entitled, “You’re witnessing the death of neoliberalism – from within”, in which he explains the importance of the report’s title, alone: “For so long mainstream economists and policymakers have denied the very existence of such a thing as neoliberalism, dismissing it as an insult invented by gap-toothed gap-toothed malcontents who understand neither economics nor capitalism.” Its proponents have at once denied that neoliberalism exists, while simultaneously pushing its agenda. Much like the shock that former US president Bill Clinton caused when he referred to “neo-colonialism” while in Haiti, a country whose economy he devastated.

Guatemalans stealing our fish in plain view
At this weekend’s summit of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) held in Havana, Cuba, Belize’s minister with responsibility for fisheries said in his remarks to the 25-member group that the right of Belizean fishers to access our side of the Sarstoon for fishing is being violated by Guatemalans, whose military have been blocking Belizeans from entering the river. At the same time, though, there are reports to our newspaper that Guatemalans continue to have free access to Belize’s side of the river, where they illegally engage in unsustainable commercial fishing practices with impunity. Wil Maheia, founder of the Belize Territorial Volunteers (BTV), captured images of illegal fishing activities on the Sarstoon on Friday. We asked Maheia to indicate, out of 10 trips, how often he would see this kind of activity when he visits the area; he told us 10 times out of 10.

Breaking Belize News

Judge to rule on Samuel Price murder case
Next Wednesday, June 15, Supreme Court Justice Adolph Lucas will give his ruling on the murder trial of 30 year old Burrell Boom resident, Shane Gillett, accused of the April 2011 murder of the brother of National Hero, George Price, who was killed inside […]

Two charged over contraband
Belize City residents 28 year old Ronnel Gonzalez and 32 year old Jermaine McDougal were busted early yesterday morning at a checkpoint in possession of over 50 different bottles of liquor for which no duties were paid, and now the Customs Department is seeking […]

Corozal man dead, DJ Tambran hurt in accident in Houston
Lennox “DJ Tambran” Young, owner of the popular Music Depot on North Front Street and also a vehicle dealer, was injured in a traffic accident this morning while returning to Belize from Houston, Texas. Young’s hand was hurt but he avoided serious injury as […]

Patrick Faber sworn in as new Deputy Prime Minister
Newly elected United Democratic Party (UDP) First Deputy was sworn in as the country’s new Deputy Prime Minister this afternoon by the Governor General, Sir Colville Young at the Belize House in Belmopan. Following the ceremony, Faber spoke to the media addressing unity issues […]

Court fines CEO of Ready Call Center for unpaid SSB contributions
Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser has ordered the CEO of Ready Call Center on the Burrell Boom-Hattieville Road, 46 year old Nubia Ramirez Moreno, to pay a court fine and more than 140 thousand dollars owed in contributions to Social Security by June 20. Moreno […]

Murder reported in Crooked Tree
An apparent murder by shooting has been reported in the Crooked Tree area earlier today. The victim is suspected to be a neighborhood shopkeeper. We will have more information as it becomes available. © 2016, www.breakingbelizenews.com. This article is the copyrighted property of Belize […]

World Environment Day observed in Belize
World Environment Day (WED), observed in over a 100 nations on June 5th this year, was honored in Belize with an excursion of 40 teachers and students from Belmopan to Trio Village in the Toledo District on Saturday. The group, made up of persons […]

Belizeans travel to Taiwan for kidney failure prevention training
Two members of Karl Heusner Memorial Hospitals’ (KHMH) staff, Dr. Glenford Jones and Michelle Cassimiro, as well as two from La Loma Luz Hospital in Santa Elena, Dr. Marvin Camal and Dieudonne Tiemula, will be leaving the country on Monday, June 13th. These four […]

Blogs

“Don’t Stop the Party”
Amazingly after the rigours of the previous day I awoke reasonably early at 06.00 hours. And I didn’t have a thick head or feel nauseous. Probably the Chinese meal that did it! I felt remarkably good but not so good that I was going to be silly. I decided that this would be a lazy day. A walk around London, pop in to some shops to see if anything caught my fancy, a couple of beers at lunchtime with some simple pub grub. But then I got a Facebook message from Carlo (he of Carlo & Ernie’s Runway Bar) “Did I have a 5 foot by 3 foot Arsenal flag to fly from one of the flagpoles at the bar?” Well I didn’t but I knew where I could get one. The Arsenal Armoury store, only 4 train stops away. It would compliment the Mesut Özil decal on the ceiling of the bar.

>Orange Walk: Avoid Crowds While Immersing Yourself in Belize’s Wonders
If you dislike crowds but you’re fascinated by everything Belize has to offer, make Orange Walk District—and especially Orange Walk Town—your next vacation spot. Just 57 miles from Belize City, it’s a quick trip from that city’s airport. Since it’s tucked into the northwest corner of the nation, the partying beach crowd isn’t here in numbers yet you’ll enjoy the full tourist experience. See exotic cultural sites, all the natural wonders you could ask for and just enough people to declare Orange Walk the friendliest place on Earth. As the second largest Belize district, Orange Walk’s 1829 square mile interior is filled with rustic villages, the nation’s agricultural hub and Mayan ruins offering amateur archaeologists close looks at the area’s distant past. Heavily populated by Mennonites who farm the land and produce much of the sugar cane, rice and vegetable crops, this large faith-based colony also runs most dairy farms. Visit the Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area to see wildlife, flora and fauna. Orange Walk Town isn’t a metropolis, but travelers are beginning to find it a gem of a place to stay thanks to affordable lodgings and a street food scene that’s the biggest secret of all.

Belize hits Guatemala over aggression at 7th Summit of Association of Caribbean States
The main focuses of the Summit were negative impacts of climate change, developing programmes in the areas of Trade, Transport, Disaster Risk Reduction and Sustainable Tourism. But the Honorable Gaspar Vega took the greater part of his almost 9 minute speech to decry Guatemala’s recent ramped up aggression and its belligerent actions in the Sarstoon. Vega called on the ACS member states to join CARICOM in urging both nations to abide by the Confidence Building Measures of 2005 which commit both countries to refrain from the use of threat or force and to hold the referenda on taking the claim to the International Court of Justice for final resolution.

World Class Rock Concert on Ambergris
Along with “Are you going to the concert?” The buzz words were “Steve Miller” and “All American Band” were going around. I decided to go thanks to my friend Jack who set me up with an invitation to help promote the show. The event was held at Mahogany Bay Village Green which is 2 miles south of town. It is the first event of it’s kind (and hopefully many) at this location. Charitable proceeds benefited the South Ambergris Neighborhood Watch. Peter Nolan did an amazing job of putting together the right crew to execute his vision, especially his pick of my friend Jack who is a world-class events manager. Abracadabra wasn’t predisposed to playing only Steve Miller “mega hits” which of course the crowd loved. They also played some vintage Cream songs off the Disraeli Gears album. This allowed the veteran members of the band to showcase their individual skills reminiscent of Cream members; Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce and Eric Clapton. As for the younger Will, his tribute to Prince singing Purple Rain was a show stopper and really highlighted his talent.

Nopalitos Mexican Pizza (Cactus Leaves Pizza)
Clean nopalitos (cactus leaves) with a peeler or a small paring knife. Make sure to remove all the thorns and nods paying special attention to the edges of the pads. Cut in bite size pieces and boil with onion for 20-25 minutes or until tender. Add salt to taste. Drain. OR remove bottled nopalitos (cactus leaves) from the water they are in and boil in fresh water for about 2 minutes in boiling water.

International Sources

Cumbrian soldiers stage exercise in Belize
The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, which recruits from the county, is taking part in one of the British Army's most demanding missions in Belize. About 100 troops from the battalion's Blenheim Company have been learning how to survive and fight in temperatures of 30C. Major Nick Higgins, officer commanding Blenheim Company, said: "This whole exercise is designed to be progressive so we've been giving the soldiers time to get used to the environment. "They're coping really well. "We have some good platoon commanders and section commanders and that’s important; they make sure the lads look after their feet and drink enough water." Some of the toughest training has been in Sibun Gorge.

What this Preston soldier has been experiencing in Belize
A former Ashton school pupil has swapped the shrubbery of Ashton Park for the deep rainforests of Central America. Mark Sutton, an infantryman with the 2nd Battalion Duke of Lancaster’s regiment is learning how to cope with energy-saving humidity and temperatures of 30 degrees. The 23-year-old, who is in his seventh year of service, is in Belize for a month learning the art of jungle warfare. Private Sutton joined the Army after studying at Preston College and Ashton High School. He said: “My dad and some of my uncles were in the Army so I wanted to join as well. I really enjoy being with the lads.

Singing to Save Garifuna
Growing up in Belize, James Lovell heard the Garifuna language from his parents and his grandparents; he understood it but he didn't speak it. He spoke the language of the streets, Belizean Creole. He didn't think much about Garifuna until the day he heard the music of a local artist Pen Cayetano and his Turtleshell Band. I still remember the little house there and they would practice and you would hear music coming from number 5 Moho Street,"? says Lovell. Pen Cayetano sang in Garifuna. But this wasn't the traditional music that Lovell had heard growing up; this was a new sound called Punta Rock. Cayetano was singing about everyday life in the town of Dangriga where Lovell lived. Lovell was hooked. "He was singing about issues in Dangriga when it comes to be laid off of work,"? says Lovell. One day Cayetano was performing and as it started to rain, the singer then began to sing an impromptu song about the rain. "He's saying, it's raining, it's raining right here in Belize,"? says Lovell.

Drink your way through Central America
I just returned from a trip to Central America, tanned, rested and liver sufficiently damaged. The objectives of the expedition were to drink, research and report on the many local beers and to superfluously pad my expense account with this paper. Missions accomplished. Drinking buckets full of beers on vast, white sandy beaches, beers in the back of careening taxi cabs, atop Mayan ruins, and in tiny restaurants warily eating local meat pies and fried plantains sounds like a lot of work — and it was! But something about those beautiful tropical settings and encounters made the beers taste better than they probably were and created beer memories that I’ll summon up for a lifetime. So when traveling, whether in the States or abroad, drink a locally brewed beer or wine, and eat home-grown foods.

Doing Business in the Caribbean 2016
Doing Business 2016: Measuring Regulatory Quality and Efficiency is the 13th in the long-standing series of co-publications by the World Bank and International Financial Corporation (IFC). This annual report on the ease in doing business in 189 nations covers the period from June 2014 to June 2015. I have been reviewing such reports for the past two years, and have published two articles from each review: first to examine the global ranking of Caribbean states, then to breakdown their performance into the 10 indicators used in the ranking process. This article reviews “Doing Business 2016”. Last year in “Doing Business in the Caribbean: Who Cares?” and “Making Caribbean Business Better”, I suggested collaboration within the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) in order to effect well needed reform, especially considering commonalities that existed within its membership. The Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region has a number of groupings that could undertake such reform in “Doing Business”. However, the ACS stands out, because it is focused on the Caribbean. The two tables below present data primarily for member-states.

Videos

Using InVEST for Coastal Zone Management in Belize, 59min. Ocean planning requires balancing numerous competing uses such as recreation and commercial fisheries, tourism, and renewable and nonrenewable energy production. To help meet the demand for information on how human actions affect ecosystems and the benefits that ecosystems provide to people, the Natural Capital Project (NatCap) developed the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) toolkit. This webinar was presented by Katie Arkema of Stanford University, Chantalle Clarke-Samuels of the Belize Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute, and Gregg Verutes of WWF. The webinar co-sponsored by MEAM, OpenChannels.org, and the EBM Tools Network.

Diving Belize, 6.5min.

Belize Mission Trip, 7min.

Shipstern Naturreservat in Belize, 9.5min. Das Papiliorama in Kerzers hat 1989 ein Naturschutzprojekt im zentralamerikanischen Belize ins Leben gerufen hat. Das Naturschutzreservat Shipstern umfasst 80 Quadratkilometer. Mit dem Freshwater Creek Waldreservat und dem Honey Camp Nationalpark schutzt die Stiftung Papiliorama heute rund 235 Quadratkilometer Tropenwald.

Belize pool swimming during storm, 1min.

Mergulhos em Belize - Blackbird Caye, 4min.

Belize Diving | 2016, 4min.

Collin & Cindy Belize Wedding Film, 13min. by Jose Luis Zapata

Belize, 4min. Adam and I made our way to Belize to bring in the New Year (2015)

Lost on the Yucatan Peninsula | Belize & Mexico, 4min.

Belize Day 1, Dive 1 Toffee (Tuffy), Ambergris Caye, Belize, 5.5min. Our first dive on the Belize trip. A bit of a warm up but lots to see. First time I've been around a Nurse Shark, I was treating it like a real shark until it was explained how docile they are in the boat.

Diving Belize June 2016, 3min. Weekend dive trip in San Pedro, Ambrisgris Caye - Belize.

Conducting Annual Monitoring of Sharks in the Blue Hole, Lighthouse Reef Atoll, Belize, 1min. A brief video highlighting the our annual monitoring of sharks in the Blue Hole at Lighthouse Reef Atoll in Belize. The Blue Hole is a globally important UNESCO World Heritage Site and a fully protected area.

June 7, 2016

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

Belize Food Tours – A Gastronomic Delight
Belize’s cuisine is so varied and delicious, that you could spend an entire week trying to taste every last bit at mealtime, and still would not finish. Imagine our tourists who are only here for a limited time, and probably want to dine at local eateries or renowned establishments to sample some of our delicacies. The chances of them eating both our national staple the Rice and Beans with stewed chicken are probably guaranteed. But what about the Rice and Beans with stewed gibnut…or the fish balls…or cane juice…let’s not forget the banana-leaf wrapped tamales and the rich black chirmole! Enter Belize Food Tours, a new venture run by enthusiastic and talented siblings Dora Paz-Guerra and Felipe Paz III. Hoping to capitalize on the wonderful treats being churned out day in and day out at the hands of gifted cooks, the siblings realized that visitors and locals alike may just want to taste test what’s on offer. On Saturday, May 28th, we were treated to the inaugural food tour, where our legs got a workout as we traipsed all over town core, feasting on some of the delicious treats they picked for us to try. The tour had been highly anticipated, as Dora and company had gone above and beyond to tease the grand start of her business with social media, and then their totally unique invitation: a brightly wrapped box of Belizean treats, complete with t-shirt and invitation card. How could we resist the call of a fellow foodie?!

Turtle Nesting season has begun
The annual turtle nesting season begins in May and runs through November, and with the 2016 Turtle Nesting Season officially commenced, biologists at the Ambergris Caye Marine Turtle Program went on a quest to discover turtle nests in Robles Point on Monday, May 9th. After the group’s first trip, there were no visible observations of turtle nests, but the group knew that turtles would soon start to lay their eggs. A second trip was made on Tuesday, May 20th, where the group discovered three loggerhead sea turtle nests; two in Basil Jones, and one in Rocky Point Beach. Marine life is synonymous to Ambergris Caye, and the three varieties of sea turtles: the Loggerhead, the Green turtle, and the Hawksbill, are all endangered species. When it’s time to lay eggs, sea turtles return to the sandy beaches in search of a well-protected nesting area. Depending on the species, a mature female turtle can lay from 70 to 190 eggs, and it takes a span of six to ten weeks for the hatchlings to emerge. After the eggs hatch, the young turtles must make their way the sea, in hopes of reaching maturity.

Ambergris Today

Linzy Williams Selected Miss Chiquitita 2016
Another ‘mini’ beauty queen has been crowned in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize. Linzy Williams won the title of Miss Chiquitita San Pedro over the weekend at the pageant held at the R Angel Nuñez Auditorium on Saturday, June 4, 2016. A large and excited crowed witnessed the entertaining pageant that saw five young girls competing for the popular title of Miss Chiquitita. Carolina Salinas, Linzy Williams, Sandi Flores, Evelyn Pichola and Monique Garcia graced the stage in four segments of the pageant that included swimsuit, talent, career and evening wear all carefully looked over by the judges. The night was filled with great entertainment by the San Pedro Dance Academy, Give It All Girls, Neslen Rivero, Ill Kid and Miss A.C.E.S 2016. The Pageant was hosted by Mr. Angel Nunez and Adrianne Hernandez. Outgoing Miss Chiquitita Killianie Sosa gave a dance presentation and farewell speech before crowing the new Miss Chiquitita Linzy Williams. Coming in second place was Monique Garcia and awards were given out to Miss Congeniality Carolina Salinas and Miss Photogenic Monique Garcia.

Misc Belizean Sources

Carlos Perrote and the Omolewa Osain Project
Get ready Caye Caulker for another wonderful event designed for the entire family. Support our music classes

Do you have questions about U.S. Social Security?
On Monday, June 13 the U.S. Embassy is hosting a Town Hall at the Biltmore Plaza Hotel in Belize City from 12:30pm – 1:15pm. The Social Security experts from San Jose will be in Belize to answer all of your questions. This Town Hall is open to all U.S. citizens and anyone paying into U.S. Social Security OR receiving benefits from U.S. Social Security. You don’t have to be a U.S. citizen to attend! Please bring an I.D. Drinks will be available from the Biltmore for purchase. Can’t make it to Belize City? We are holding the same Town Hall at the U.S. Embassy on Tuesday, June 14 from 11:00am – 11:45am. Don’t forget to bring an I.D. Come get all of your U.S. Social Security questions answered!

Meet Miss Nicaragua!
The International Costa Maya Festival presents its first candidate vying for the title of Miss Costa Maya International. The Miss Costa Maya International Pageant is scheduled for Thursday, August 4, 2016 at the Louis Sylvester Sporting Complex in San Pedro, Belize. The International Costa Maya Festival invites everyone to come out and support your favorite candidate from El Mundo Maya. Look out for the rest of the contestants from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, Costa Rica, and Belize.

Two General Practitioners and Two Dialysis Nurses will go to Taiwan for Kidney Disease and Dialysis Training
The Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) is pleased to announce that two general practitioners and two dialysis nurses from Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital and La Loma Luz Adventist Hospital will be dispatched through the Capacity Building Project for the Prevention and Control of Chronic Renal Failure in Belize and take a training program on kidney disease and dialysis, which will be taken place in Far Eastern Memorial Hospital located in New Taipei City during June 13th~August 12th , 2016. According to the survey reveals, the prevalence rate of obesity in Belize is over 60%, and the hypertension and Diabetes mainly contribute directly to the development of chronic renal failure. The purpose of Renal Failure Prevention Project is to treat the patients at the early stage to prevent the exacerbation and effectively reduce the socio-economic cost of the whole society.

Site inspections and distributing pamphlets on the risks of Zika
Health Inspector, Mr. Harrison Patten, along with employees of the San Pedro Town Council were in the San Pedrito Area conducting site inspections and distributing pamphlets on the risks of Zika and ways to prevent an outbreak. This inspection is part of the Clean Up Campaign launched on Wednesday, June 1st, 2016.

Power interruptions today in Orange Walk and Corozal
Two 20 minute power interruptions 6:00am to 6:20am & 4:40pm to 5:00pm on Tuesday, June 7, Wednesday, June 8, & Thursday June 9: entire Orange Walk & Corozal Districts. BEL to replace transmission poles in the area.

Creole Drumming Workshop
The SISE House of Culture is having a 2 week Creole Drumming Workshop starting on July 25th. Contact them at [email protected] or at 824-0783 for more information.

Graduating 2016 Rotary Scholars
Congratulations to the 2016 graduating Rotary scholars! Time for 6th form, and 2 of them are receiving scholarships for that. Thanks, Rotary! "Our graduating high school scholars, from left the right, Tyra Tench, Mirna Coh, Ivan Hernandez, Dailyn Flores, Alberto Rodriguez and Jonathan Escobar. Mirna and Jonathan received the Paulita Bedran Memorial Scholarship for two years of tertiary education based on their high Grade Point Averages."

Flor de la Feria Presentation
The 50th Flor de le Feria first candidate presentation is next Saturday, June 18th, and the Cancha Marshalleck. "IT'S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR AGAIN! The first presentation of our 7 official candidates! Come meet them on June 18th, 2016! Dance starts at 10 pm Free Jello Shot till midnight! Pre-sale tickets can be bought at the Benque Viejo Town Hall! It's and event you can't miss! Let it start, On the Road to the crown 2016!"

Beach Clean up in Dangriga
Harlem Beach Group in Collaboration with Pan American Development Foundation Held a Successful Beach Clean-up Activity. Other Partners Included Dangriga Town Council, Department of the Environment - DOE and the Dangriga Town Community.

Channel 7

Man Gets Double Life In Prison For Ruthless Murder
Guilty of double murder! That's what the judge said today for 44 year old Ervin Reneau - who was accused of killing 39 year old businessman David Longsworth and 42 year old security guard Edgar Ayala. Forty-four year old Ervin Reneau, was given 2 life sentences today by Justice Adolph Lucas after he was found guilty of the murder of 39 year old businessman David Longsworth and 42 year old security guard Edgar Ayala. In the trial without jury Justice Lucas was convinced by the case presented by prosecutors Shanice Lovell, Sherigne Rodriguez and Janelle Tillett. They presented evidence which showed that shortly after 6 p.m. on November 30, 2010, at Texaco Gas Station, located at mile 2 on the Northern Highway, Reneau arrived at the gas station in a taxi and shot Ayala, then Longsworth who was in his car with his wife and their 6 year old son.

John Jay, They Reminisce Over You
34 year old singer John Jay Rodriguez was slain on Friday night as he was hanging out at a local gaming shop in Dangriga. It is the second murder of the year in the culture capital, but this one has deeply wounded town residents because the victim, by all accounts, was a law abiding young man and an artist of promise. Emanuel Pech traveled south today and has the story. 34 year old John Jay Rodriguez, was a well-known, well-loved performer. He has released several hit songs, sang alongside local super stars like Supa G and Mika Evans, and has even appeared in a couple of national music competitions. But tonight all that promised is reduced to just another statistic: he was the victim of the second murder in Dangriga for this year. Emanuel Pech: "It all started with attempted robbery here at the Havana Club and Entertainment Centre. Reports are that sometime after 11 on Friday, 3 men entered the establishment planning to rob the proprietors. What happened next was the last thing anyone expected."

Remembering JJ With Music
Funeral arrangements are set for John Jay Rodriguez on Saturday, but the event that many of his friends and fans are looking forward to is the Tribute to John Jay, where his life as a performing artist will be remembered. The organizer of the event is his adopted brother and partner in music Lionel Thompson, better known as "Lyrical." Together the duo called themselves South Blaze. Now the only surviving member of South Blaze is trying to bring together as many local artists who knew John Jay, and honor him through music. Lionel Lyrical Thompson - friend of deceased: "The artists that are here in Dangriga, the musicians, the band members are going to meet at Slaughter House at 8 o'clock tonight to finalize everything. The artist that I spoke to in Belize City, all the artists that I was able to get in contact with, they already said 'we're coming down and we're going to represent'. For the artists that I didn't get in contact with, its open, you guys are free to come. Come and represent, shout out to the man, sing a couple songs, say something about him, you know how much he impacted you, the love that he spread so just come and give it back. Respect to my brother John Jay, rest in peace, I'll see you again but until then I have to be strong for you, your son and everybody else."

Champagne Paris Passes, Suicide Suspected
7News has confirmed that Porfilio Rodriguez, better known as the transgender individual who identified as Vanessa Champagne Paris, died on Saturday night at the Dangriga Hospital. At this time, police aren't so sure if Paris died of natural causes or if she drank poison and took her life. That's the report that we've been receiving since morning, but what we know for certain is that she was rushed from Independence to the hospital in Dangriga after she started complaining about stomach pains. Police tell us that they've received that same report that she may have committed suicide, but to be certain, they will await the results of a post-mortem examination, which will take place tomorrow. She was first thrust into the public spotlight after a mob of Belize City males cornered her on Vernon Street, near the Berger Field in April 2014. Those men chased and assaulted her for no reason, other than openly dressing as a transgender woman.

Law Student Accused of Contraband Smuggling
Today a law student got called before the court for a major contraband bust. Ronell Gonzalez was driving a Toyota Camry with taxi plates between miles 12 and 13 on the Northern Highway when he was intercepted at a customs checkpoint. Inside the trunk of the Camry, Customs found 59 bottles of assorted top shelf liquor, including Absolut Vodka, Captain Morgan, Myers Rum, Jack Daniels and others. Gonzalez was arrested along with his passenger Jermaine Macdougal. The 59 bottles have a combined value of 6,027 dollars - and usually offenders usually face a fine of three times the value. But, the law changed in April 2016, and the new law says that the minimum fine is now a flat twenty thousand dollars. Today in court, Gonzalez - who is studying law - got a lecture from Senior Magistrate Sharon Frazer about being a law student and misrepresenting himself as unemployed before the court. He and Macdougal pleaded not guilty and were offered bail of fifteen thousand dollars. But, Gonzalez owed the court a fine for a traffic offence, and because the cashier was closed, he was unable to meet bail and is remanded at the Queen Street police station tonight.

Cops Gone Clear
Back in February of 2013, Police Constables Phillip Swift and John Galvez were accused of stealing a City Councilor's wife's purse. But tonight, they're free of all charges after the Magistrate's Court found them not guilty and acquitted them. According to the complainant, Carolee Samuels, wife of Dean Samuels, she dropped her purse in front of Oxygen Boutique on Freetown Road on November 16, 2012 at around 1:20 p.m. She said that 2 hours later, the police contacted her and told her that they recovered the purse. When they handed it over, she searched it and realized that $500 dollars cash, her identification cards, bank cards and other personal items were missing. She reported the incident to the police and that's how these two Constables, Swift and Galvez ended up being charged 3 months later. Well, today, the criminal trial concluded against both men in the court room of Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith. She heard evidence from the prosecution, which included surveillance footage which purported to capture both men with the purse.

The PUP's June Swoon In The Sarstoon
On Friday night, we showed you how a PUP contingent sailed sweetly down the Sarstoon River and coasted around the Sarstoon Island easy as cheese. The always aggressive Guatemalan Navy didn't even bat an eyelash at Johnny Briceno and Company. In brief, it was a an exceptional event - made even more pronounced because in the context of all the territorial theater that has unfolded on that same river. Tonight, we compare and contrast at all that went before and what went down on Friday:... Daniel Ortiz reporting: On Friday, The leadership of the People's United Party headed down to the Sarstoon River for their familiarization tour. And, when they arrived at the river mouth, they were greeted with courtesy from the BDF Soldiers at the Sarstoon Forward Operating Base.

Dialysis Nurses Take On Taiwan
4 Belizean medical professionals are heading to Taiwan next week for training in Kidney disease. Dr. Glenford Jones and Michelle Cassimiro from the KHMH, and Dr. Marvin Efrain Camal and Dieudonne Sah Tiemula from La Loma Luz Adventist Hospital are all leaving on June 13th to the Far Eastern Memorial Hospital in New Taipei City, Taiwan. This is all part of the "Renal Failure Prevention Project" which Belize and Taiwan signed onto in February of this year. In a press release sent today it states " The purpose of the project is to treat the patients at the early stage to… effectively reduce the socio-economic cost of the whole society." It also states that this program is very important because based on the statistics "the prevalence rate of obesity in Belize is over 60% and hypertension and Diabetes mainly contribute to the development of chronic renal failure." When these general practitioners and dialysis nurses return after the 2 month training, they will in turn train medical personnel in Belize. They all return on August 12th.

CODICADER Gave Green Light To Belize
On Friday delegates from 5 participating countries of CODICADER visited Belize for a pre-game site inspection. It was the last test for Belize as the host country for CODICADER. And the good news today is that we passed. The delegation went to Orange Walk on Friday where they visited the Complex building. Then they went to the Elementary School in Belize City, where the table tennis will be held. On Sunday they traveled to Belmopan where they visited the Isidoro Beaton Stadium and later that day, the delegation visited the Sacred Heart RC School in San Ignacio. At the end of the inspection all sites received an A level review except for the Complex building in Orange Walk, which received a B. The delegates wanted a few minor changes to the court and according to the National Sports Council they should have that in order in time for the games.

No Foul Play Suspected In Body Found At Caye
The body of an American male was found floating near the southern part of Ambergris Caye this afternoon. But, at this time police do not suspect foul play in the death of the 66 year old. Police say no signs of violence were found on the body. They are ruling it a sudden death and say his family explains that the deceased suffered from seizures.

Tearful Man Alleges Police Brutality, Robbery
Today Stann Creek resident Jeffry Young came to our studio, both frustrated and angry. He told us that he had been to all of the major Belize City police Stations to complain that 2 cops robbed him of $700 last night, but his report was falling on deaf ears. He claims that his hard earned cash, which he intended to use to help his sick mother, was taken from him by two on-duty police officers who searched him. He admits to being under the influence of alcohol, which is probably what drew the attention of the police. But, the search that happened afterwards, according to him, turned into a robbery by the men sworn to uphold the law. Here's how he described it: Jeffry Young, Claims Police Misbehavior: "I live by George Town areas and I left there because I came to assist my mother here in Belize City. She has the disease where the white and red cells feed on each other. So when I came back home now, I checked a net out at Foreshore, fixed a bicycle where I made $700. The police took my money from me in front of Bliss last night at 10:30..."

BTL Will Appeal Mek Mi Rich Judgment
Viewers will remember the very explosive case in which Corozal Businessman Curtis Swasey won against BTL and Mek Mi Rich Directors, Sunjay Hotchandani and Andre Vega, the son of outgoing Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega. Justice Courtney Abel ruled that BTL gave Swasey's idea of lottery texting away to the owners of Mek Mi Rich, and they profited at his expense. Well, 7News has learned that BTL has filed an appeal against Justice Abel's decision about 3 and a half weeks ago. The grounds of appeal that BTL's attorneys intend to submit are that the trial judged erred in law when he found that Swasey had a proprietary right over the concept of SMS lottery texting. BTL contends that the judge failed to, quote, "take into account the overwhelming evidence that the… concept was in the public domain and that the appellant and MMR were already aware of it." End quote. As viewers will remember, a major point for BTL was that this concept was in existence in the US years before Swasey approached them to partner in his game in Belize.

Remembering Ali in Belize, 1965
It seems tonight that the whole world is mourning Muhammad Ali - who passed away on Friday after a long battle with Parkinson's disease. The 74 year old inspired so many fight fans and non fight fans all across the world as one of the first trual global sports icons. But a part of his history is also in Belize - he came her in 1965 for an exhibition at the Palace theater and Santino Castillo remembers it well:... Santiago Castillo, Jr., Mohammed Ali Fan: "Mohammed Ali came to Belize in July of 1965. He didn't box anyone in Belize, he brought down a sparring partner and his name was Cody Jones. He did some performances at the Palace Theatre where a professional ring was set up, they had ring-side tickets and everyone just crowded to see Mohammed Ali in action at the Palace theatre where he did the shuffle and showed how fast his hands were. Basically that's all it was, an exhibition. I was 9 years old and at ring-side both nights.

Channel 5

Vanessa Champagne Paris Dead at Twenty-one
Twenty-one-year-old transgender woman, Vanessa Champagne Paris, died over the weekend at the Southern Regional Hospital in Dangriga. Born Porfelio Rodriguez, he would assume the name and personality of a woman, [...]

Was it Food Poisoning or Suicide?
For LGBT activist Caleb Orozco, only the results of a post-mortem examination will provide some reasonable clarity, but the death in itself highlights what was Vanessa Champagne Paris’ very difficult [...]

LGBT Activist Remembers Champagne Paris
Vanessa Champagne Paris, a member of the transgender community, first came to Orozco’s attention in April 2014 after she was badly beaten by an angry mob in Belize City. It’s [...]

Ervin Reneau Gets Life in Prison for Double Murder
A decision was handed down in the case of forty-five year old Ervin Reneau, accused of the double murder of Edgar Ayala and David Longsworth, the son of well-known businessman, [...]

Well-known Belizean Artist John Jay is Killed in Dangriga
There was another death in the south. A sixteen year old minor is currently detained by Dangriga police for Friday night’s murder of a well known artist in the culture [...]

Gapi Turns Up the Heat on Guatemala at ACS Summit
This weekend, Cuba was the venue for the Association of Caribbean States’ seventh Summit of Heads of State and Government. Belize was represented by Gaspar Vega in his last official [...]

President Jimmy Morales Responds
Guatemala was also represented at the seventh Summit in Cuba, by President Jimmy Morales and Foreign Minister Carlos Raul Morales. Not surprisingly, the president didn’t take kindly to the address [...]

Salvadoran National Remanded for Sexual Assault of Minor
Earlier we told you about the sentencing of Ervin Reneau for the double murder of David Longworth and Edgar Ayala. But in the lower court, a forty-year-old Salvadoran national, who [...]

Cops Acquitted of Theft of Wallet Four Years Later
The Chief Magistrate also heard the case against two cops: Phillip Swift and John Galvez were charged for theft of a wallet with five hundred dollars and personal items belonging [...]

Chamber of Commerce Weighs in on Dismal IMF Report
The International Monetary Fund, IMF, issued its Article Four Consultation Report last week and the economy outlook is dismal. The report speaks to a decelerating economy amid increasing external vulnerabilities [...]

Police Ramp Up Security at Village Council Elections
Village Council elections are presently being held across the country and both political parties are fielding slates in the respective rural communities. While the Village Council Elections are not supposed [...]

Belizean and Guatemalan Athletes Run for Peace
While diplomats and high-level representatives from both Belize and Guatemala try to forge some sort of acceptable accord between countries, there are other initiatives to do the same on other [...]

World’s Greatest Boxer Mohammad Ali Dead at 74
Boxing legend Muhammad Ali – died over the weekend. Ali was at a hospital in Phoenix, Arizona where he died on Friday. Considered one of the worldâ€™s greatest sporting figures, [...]

Sports Monday: Interoffice Basketball Competition Kicks Off
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and this is Sports Monday. The 2016 Interoffice Basketball Competition presented under the Belize District Basketball Association roared into action Friday night with 2 [...]

CTV3

Round One Of Village Council Elections Takes Place
Over the weekend, Village Council Elections were held in forty three villages from across the country with a total of three hundred one vacant seats. Of these available seats, there were forty three posts for chairpersons and two hundred fifty eight seats for councillors. Here in the Orange Walk District, elections were held in five villages namely, Santa Cruz, San Antonio, Tower Hill, Trinidad and San Lazaro. In the villages of Trinidad, Tower Hill and San Antonio, the United Democratic Party won all seats while in the village of San Lazaro, a split council was elected in which the People’s United Party won the post of chairperson along with two posts for councillors while the UDP won the remaining four seats. In the village of Santa Cruz, the UDP acquired majority of the seats while the PUP managed to attain only one. As for the Corozal District unconfirmed reports are the PUP won full councils in San Joaquin and Ranchito, both considered party strongholds, and split the council in their favour in Calcutta.

Two Belizeans To Receive Training On Kidney Disease And Dialysis
As part of the 2.2 million dollars project for the Prevention and Control of Chronic Renal Failure funded by the Taiwanese Government, two general practitioners and two dialysis nurses from Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital and La Loma Luz Adventist Hospital have been awarded the privilege of receiving a training program on kidney disease and dialysis, which will take place in Far Eastern Memorial Hospital located in New Taipei City during June 13th~August 12th, 2016. The 2-month training program was designed for general practitioners, and focuses on general kidney disease diagnosis, therapy and dialysis; while the training program for dialysis nurses focuses on care and quality management of hemodialysis. After receiving pertinent training these individuals will be the seed instructors to have a local training program for Belizean medical personnel in the future.

DPM Seeks Assistance For Belize At Summit At Havana Cuba
Over the weekend Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega along with Foreign Minister Hon. Wilfred Elrington represented Belize at the 7th summit of the Association of Caribbean States held in Havana, Cuba. The two day summit surrounded the subject of the crisis that is currently being faced by Venezuela among other issues. Although no official report has been issued by the Government of Belize as to what transpired at the conference, it is being reported by international news outlets that during his address at the summit Minister Gaspar Vega took the opportunity to address the "existential threat" to Belize's sovereignty that has come as a result of recent tensions between Belize and Guatemala and the annexation of the Sarstoon. Minister Vega also added that Guatemala’s claim is a violation of the Cumbre de la Comunidad de Estados LatinoAmericanos (CELAC) agreement.

LOVE FM

Gaspar Vega Socks It to Jimmy Morales and Guatemala
Reports reaching Love News are that Guatemalan President, Jimmy Morales was taken aback when Deputy Prime Minister, Gaspar Vega spoke at the Seventh Summit of the Association of Caribbean States, making reference to the ongoing aggression by the Guatemalans. The 23-day summit was held in Havana, Cuba over the weekend where Belize had representation from […]

‘Vanessa Champagne Paris’ Dies
A post mortem examination is scheduled for one o’clock tomorrow afternoon in Belize City for Porfilio Rodriguez also known as Vanessa Champagne Paris. The transgender resided in Independence Village, Stann Creek District and was at home when she began complaining of stomach pains on Friday night. Love News understands that her father had taken her […]

Looking Back 4 Years Ago on Jasmine’s Murder
Our judicial system has been known for its delay of justice at times. Many times we hear of court hearings being adjourned over and over or judgements delays for months and sometimes even years. One such case that has been among those clogged in the justice system is that of Bert Vasquez; the man accused […]

Popular Resident Slain in Dangriga
Police in Dangriga have detained a sixteen year old male in connection with the shooting death of 35-year-old John Rodriguez. On Friday night, Rodriguez, along with three other customers was in a gaming establishment on Havana Street when sometime after eleven o’clock, three male persons entered. One of them, armed with a firearm demanded that […]

Body of American National Found in Caribbean Sea
A body of a man was found this morning floating in the sea near a dock about a mile south of San Pedro. The sixty six year old American National of California was found in the water by a South Neighborhood Watch patrol that came across the body. Police’s initial investigation reveals that the sixty […]

Village Council Elections Begin Countrywide
For the next five weeks, Village council elections will take center stage. Villagers of over forty villages went to the polls yesterday. We hear more in this report from correspondent Fem Cruz. FEM CRUZ “

Guatemalans Continue Illegal Fishing in Belize’s Waters
One constant complaint that comes from Belizeans following their visit on the Sarstoon River has to do with illegal fishing in Belizean territory by Guatemalan nationals. This has been the cry from activist, Wil Maheia for a number of years. Today Maheia told us that the illegal fishing continues in the area unabated. WIL MAHEIA […]

Espat Says Boycott Was Effective
For three weeks there were mechanical games, assumed to be Guatemalan operated, stationed at the compound of Hour Bar and Grill in Belize City. A couple weeks ago, Jose Luis Espat and a few others called for a boycott of the rides. Today our News team headed out to speak with the owners of the […]

PlusTV

Corozal Fire Chief dies in fatal traffic accident
A tragic accident took place in Corozal town earlier today. Meshach Henry who was attached to the Corozal Fire Department, and became the Fire Cheif, just 2 years ago, died instantly when his motor bike collided into a dump truck The accident occurred on at about 11:30am when witnesses say the dump ...

Belmopan house sprayed with bullets; father injured
A home in Belmopan was shot up on Thursday night and the father of the home injured. According to police reports, sometime around 10:00 p.m., police responded to a shooting incident on Colombia Street, Salvapan area, Belmopan at the residence of 39-year-old Russell Arnold . Arnold says that while ...

PUP successfully visit Sarstoon
Members of the People’s United Party today successfully circled Sarstoon Island. The expedition consisted of some 18 persons including the boat crew and media houses. Among those on the trip was Party Leader, Honorable John Briceño; National Deputy Party Leader, Honorable Cordel Hyde; Party Chairman...

”Adjacency Zone” Prensa Libre
Prensa Libre has released video shot at the Belize Border at Benque Viejo/Melchor in what they call the “Adjacency Zone” The accompanying article titled “Belizean Guards intimidate Guatemalans” says that “In the video you can be see when two Border Patrol agents in the neigh...

Garifuna tour guide suspended, says she was harrassed over ethnicity
Freelance tour guide and vendor Ann-Marie Arana, who lives near and works at the Altun Ha Archaeological Reserve, says she has been harassed for many years by a former lover, who now believes she has been doing well in her business at his expense. But when it escalated into a fight at the site two w...

CCJ to hand down Maurice Tomlinson decision next week, no word on Section 53 case
According to Caleb Orozco, president of the United Belize Advocacy Movement (UNIBAM) and chief litigant in a case pending judgment in the Supreme Court against Section 53 of the Criminal Code concerns penalties for same-sex encounters, the Caribbean Court of Justice case launched by Jamaican attorne...

Sgt. Julio Shal acquitted of murder and manslaughter in death of escape prisoner, Tyson Rodriguez
Today the Belize Supreme Court in a sweeping verdict, stated that there is not enough evidence for a court of law to be satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that Police Sergeant Julio Shal had committed any unlawful or used any unlawful force to cause the death of escaped prisoner Tyson Rodriguez, or...

Police searches lead to found property
Police in several raids across the Country have retrieved several weapons and taken them off the Street. In Belmopan police today recovered two weapons . Meanwhile in Cayo on Thursday at about 3:25 p.m., police conducted a search in an overgrown lot in the Shawville area, Cayo District where they d...

Zika Workshop held in San Ignacio
At least two cases of the disease Zica have been identified in Belize; one of them, a pregnant woman, from the cayo District. In view of this development the Sustainable and Child Friendly Municipality Initiative hosted a workshop in Santa Elena- San Ignacio to discuss a plan of action for controlli...

Over 2,000 Residents of San Antonio Village, Cayo District Will Soon Have a New Health Centre
Village council elections are just around the corner. This means a few more projects will be rolling into several fortunate villages just in time for those elections. Today ground-breaking Ceremonies to commence the construction of the new San Antonio Health Centre were held at the Community Centre,...

Breaking Belize News

BELIZE ~ GARMENT INDUSTRY
In year 2000, Belize exported BZ$40 million worth of garments. Today our export of garment is ZERO. The one garment exporter closed down….they used to produce clothing with DICKIES brand. Belize has the capacity to support a robust garment industry for the domestic market….and expand […]

UDP wins big in Village Council election in the north
Village Council elections started on Sunday June 5th and in the north, the United Democratic Party (UDP) won in nine of 12 villages in the first round of elections. In the Corozal District the People’s United Party (PUP) registered “huge” victories in Ranchito and San […]

PSE results delayed
Graduation season is well underway and most of Belize’s children are looking forward to the annual mid-year school vacation. But a select few are sweating out the results of the Primary School Examination (PSE), which was given in separate sittings in March and May this […]

Round 1 of village councils goes to UDP
43 of Belize’s 190-plus villages voted in the first round of the 2016 village council elections conducted chairman, vice-chairman, secretary, treasurer and three other councilor positions. Both major political […]

Guilty of double murder; Ervin Reneau jailed for life
45 year old Ervin Alexander Reneau, accused of the murders of security guards 39 year old David Allan Longsworth and Edgar Ayala almost six years ago on November 30, 2010 was convicted by Supreme Court Justice Adolph Lucas, sitting without a jury. Delivering the […]

Elderly man charged for traffic accident that claimed the life of Corozal Fire Chief
Jose Gregory Williams, 64, received four charges today following the traffic accident that claimed the life of Corozal Fire Chief, Meshac Henry, 33. Williams has been charged for driving without due care and attention, failing to give way to a motor vehicle on a major […]

Slow business in the Corozal Commercial Free Zone
The number of visitors to the Corozal Commercial Free Zone has dropped resulting in decreased business for the 350 stores there. The reason, according to Free Zone Chief Executive Officer Raul Fabian Rosado, is the devaluation of the Mexican peso. In February of this year, […]

BAHA hosts workshop on GMOs and bio-safety
As part of a capacity building workshop on bio-safety in Belize, the Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA) is conducting a GMO risk assessment training under the UNEP/GEF funded National Bio-safety Project. The one week workshop is meant to train participants on the scientific principles of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and […]

Moist and unstable conditions will continueThe National Meteorological Service of Belize is predicting cloudy skies with some showers and thunderstorms mostly inland at first this afternoon, then over most areas this evening and tonight. Winds will be blowing from the West-Southwest at 5-15 knots and the sea state will […]

DPM Vega addresses Guatemalan claim at summit in Cuba
Outgoing Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega, during the 7th Summit of Caribbean States in Cuba over the weekend, addressed the current status of the Guatemalan territorial claim over Belize in front of diplomats from all over the region. Vega, who was also accompanied to the summit by […]

Blogs

Bugs that Bite in Belize
I hope this does not come as a shock to anyone but Belize is in the tropics and…the secret is out! We have bugs that bite or sting or just suck a bit of your blood. For much of the year (the dry, breezy season – usually December thru about now) – I hardly notice them at all. The mosquitoes aren’t around – they wait for standing fresh water to lay their demon seed, the pesky sand flies are whisked away by the wind… But since June 1st was the beginning of the official hurricane season – and rain is more possible (we had our first real drizzle – all 10 minutes of it today – since February 1st), a bit of a guide to Belize insects might be in order. Let me start by saying that I DESPISE insects -sting or not. Sure, only the very strange LIKE them but even a housefly in my bedroom has me stalking it for an hour before bed time. God forbid I hear the hissing of a mosquito with the lights out. Just the thought of it gives me a cold shiver.

Is Belize Safe: A Comprehensive Belize Safety Guide (2016 Update)
To answer the popular search query and your anxious curiosity; YES, Belize is a relatively safe country in our part of the world. This is the reason we accept travel advisories and warnings with grace; we know that the reason why media houses and news outlets would sensationalize some crimes is because it rarely happens, especially outside of the vicinity of Belize City. When traveling in Belize city or other urban areas, use the same level of precautions you would use in any major city. Don’t walk alone in secluded areas, don’t flash cash, high value electronics, and don’t get excessively drunk. Belize City in itself has some very sketchy areas, that unfortunately have fallen hostage to gang activity and turfs. There are areas however, that are relatively safe, such as the Belize Fort George Tourism Village, which has good Belize tourism police presence.

GRAND CARIBE BELIZE JOINS THE FIRST FRIDAY TRES COCOS CLEAN-UP CAMPAIGN!
Grand Caribe staff took to the streets and beach on the first Friday of (June the 3rd), to be part of the First Friday Tres Cocos Clean Up Campaign. This is the first time that we came out in such large numbers and we’re happy to report that we all had so much fun cleaning our streets and beaches. The fun could be seen in the photos that will be shared below. Altogether some 36 staff members joined other volunteers and tackled the garbage situation from our property, south ward on the roadside to Bamboo House and then on to the beach and back to Grand Caribe Belize Resort. Volunteers included workers from all departments, such as house-keeping, grounds, tour desk, front desk, maintenance and even management – who all got down and dirty.

Belize in June
Slightly cooler and with better breezes than the months of April and May, June in Belize is a wonderful time to visit. Probably the best attraction for seafood lovers is all of the festivals throughout Belize that celebrate the beginning of the lobster season. The islands of Ambergris Caye and Caulker Caye, and the peninsula of Placencia, each hold their own special festival dedicated to all things lobster. June is also a great time to visit Belize as airfare from the United States is more affordable than ever. Major airlines like Delta, American Airlines and Southwest all run specials, and Belize is only 3-5 hours’ flying time from several major American cities.

The Fringe of the Sea inspires a form of poetry all its own
Here’s a new term for me: “the fringe of the sea.” This the space between the eastern shore of Ambergris Caye and the great Belize Barrier Reef. From space, I imagine, the relatively calm and shallow blue-green expanse must look like a colorful collar. This fringe teems with life, aquatic and human. In many ways it is a highway, too. At its busiest, it is filled with water taxis, sailboats, barges, para-sailors, jet skis, resort boats, pleasure boats, kayaks, fishing boats . . . . If it floats, it will make its way up and down the coast. Beneath the aqua and emerald waters you can spot turtles, dolphins, sharks, a thousand varieties of colorful reef fish, brightly hued corals — and conch and lobster, too. From the shore, the white rumble of the surf against the reef seems so close — and in some spots it is. The fringe can be deceptively calm and empty.

International Sources

Audubon-Trained Tour Guides and Citizen Science
BRRI President and friend Roni Martinez makes cover photo for National Audubon article on Latin American bird training. Proud of what Roni has done for Belize, Belizeans and birds. Great work my friend. Great everyone that was a part of this movement!
Over the past year, Audubon has been implementing a bird-based tourism initiative that includes a strong focus on training community members living in and around important bird and biodiversity areas to be bird guides. During the project, Audubon’s international partners in Belize, Guatemala, and Paraguay organized Christmas Bird Counts in which three dozen newly-trained bird guides participated. For many participants, this was not their first count, but the 2015-2016 CBC took on new meaning, and helped them envision birding as a tool to improve their economic livelihood and also contribute in a more meaningful way to hemispheric conservation. Newly trained community bird guides appreciated the opportunity to put into practice their skills in identifying birds, to communicate bird names in English, and to share the day with more experienced birders.

Littleborough couple's tropical test
Corporal Robert Haile and Lance Corporal Kim Little, from Littleborough, are spending a month in Central America training in jungle warfare techniques. When they jetted off to Belize there was nothing romantic about the trip. Both serve as Army Reservists with the 4th Battalion The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment and so jumped at the chance to work alongside the Belize Defence Force (BDF) - some of the world’s best tropical warriors. Corporal Haile, 43, and his partner Lance Corporal Little, 41, both based in Greater Manchester at Bury Army Reserve Centre, are on exercise in Belize with Regular soldiers of the Regiment’s 2nd Battalion who are spending more than a month working in the energy-sapping jungle humidity and temperatures of 30°C. Corporal Haile, a former full time soldier, now works as an Army recruiter but serves as a reservist in his spare time. He said: “Kim and I met in the Army Reserve so it’s great that she and I can both get away on a training exercise to Belize together.” They are there with more than 100 others from the 2nd Battalion’s Blenheim Company, learning how to survive and fight in some of the toughest conditions on the planet.

Videos

Palabras del Viceprimer ministro de Belice, Margarito Gaspar Vega, en la Cumbre AEC, 9min. Over the weekend deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega gave an address at the 7th summit of the Association of Caribbean States. He took the opportunity to address the "existential threat" to Belize's sovereignty that has come as a result of recent tensions between Belize and Guatemala and the annexation of the Sarstoon

Zip Lining Through The Jungle in Belize, 15min. Jaguar Cave zip line shore excursion in Belize. June 1, 2016.

Mr Vega's manager almost drowned at Belize reefs, 4.5min.

Belize 2008, 14min. Around Turneffe Island. I strongly recommend this resort for divers. Around Turneffe Island.

Belize 2008 2, 12min.

Belize 2008 3, 14min. Around Turneffe Island.

Belize 2008 4, 12min. Around Turneffe Island.

Belize 2016 San Pedro Town, 9min.

A day in the life of the Lobsterman, 1/2min. Belikin Beer's announcement of Lobster Festival in Belize. Check out local San Pedro fishermen "lobstermen" in this great video

Beautiful Belize Photo Tour & Guide, 2.5min. Enjoy a photo tour of Belize City, Belize and see what there is to do when you have an afternoon to spend in this amazing city!

Belize Trip, 4min.

Carnival Breeze June 1, 2016 - Sharks, Rays and Island Getaway Belize June 1, 2016, 8min. Carnival Breeze - Sharks, Rays and Island Getaway in Belize!

Loggerhead Sea Turtle Low Flyover, Belize Scuba Diving, 2min. My dad and I diving near Ambergris Caye, Belize. A large Loggerhead Sea Turtle swam right towards him and over his head!

Belize Trip 2016 Part 2!, 6min.

Belize Adventures 2016, 3min. Traveling and experiencing new things is the best way to fuel creativity! Feeling grateful for the opportunity .. it was a hella good time with good people!

Belize 2008 cap 2 3, 12min. Around Turneffe island.

Amerika mit David Yetman: Belize, ein Schmelztiegel der Kulturen Doku (2014), 41min.

June 6, 2016

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

Wolfe’s Woofer: Old Boots
I was reading and drinking my coffee on the deck at the Holiday Hotel. Two local men that I knew for a long time got a beer and sat down at the table next to me. As they began talking I didn’t pay any attention until Raul said, “Javi, I’m going to Belize City tomorrow. The next time you see me I will be a divorced man.” “What?!” Javier said. “You’re divorcing Lupe?” “I sure am. Enough is enough.” “What are you talking about? You and Lupe been together a long time. She’s beautiful and everybody thinks you make a great pair. Why are you divorcing her?” “It’s like this,” Raul said. “See these boots I got on? What do you think of them?”

Dutch Lady celebrates World Milk Day
“What are cookies without milk?” That is a rhetorical question the Dutch Lady asks. The history of “World Milk Day” originates in 2001, led by the United Nations, and since then, it is celebrated internationally and across the Caribbean. Adapted in 2012, it has been celebrated annually, and on Wednesday, June 1st, the Dutch Lady crew of Santiago Castillo brought the party to the island. Several schools: San Pedro Roman Catholic School, Holy Cross Anglican School, Ambergris Caye Elementary and Isla Bonita, and the general public made their way to the Central Park to learn about the positive benefits of the popular drink. A ‘farm’ was set up with a replica of a cow, allowing children to milk the cow’s simulated udders. Students were also treated to samples of Dutch Lady Milk, cookies and received a surprise bag of Dutch Lady products that included a coloring book and crayons. A bounce house was the center of attraction for the children, and the milk samples gave them the strength to jump high in the air and bounce around.

Doctor Love: Old Love
Dear Doctor Love, When I graduated high school I had a girlfriend of 4 years. A year after graduation she turned 18 so we moved in to live together. Of course her parents and mine were very upset at this because they had plans for us to go to college and they did not think we would make it through school either married or living together. After a year of pressure from our families we gave in. She went to school in the U.S. and I went to school in Mexico. We eventually lost touch with each other and now I have been happily married for 14 years with 3 children. 3 months ago she moved back to Belize for an extended visit. She looked me up shortly after she got here and I found out that she was divorced with no children. We met to discuss old times and suddenly everything was just like it was 18 years ago. We are as much in love as we were in high school. Now, our relationship has changed and is physical as well as emotional. I do not see how I can survive without her in my life. I am so torn between being a good husband and father and being satisfied emotionally. Can you help me decide what to do?

Misc Belizean Sources

Ban Glyphosate
From June 6-10, the Coordinating Group of Pesticide Control Boards for the Caribbean will be meeting at the San Ignacio Hotel in Cayo. We think it would be a great opportunity for people to make an appearance, even briefly, to tell this group that Roundup and other pesticides containing glyphosate must be banned in our country and through the Caribbean. So far, the only Central American country that has banned it is El Salvador. It has been banned in Bermuda, Chile, Mexico, Peru, Columbia Brazil and Canada, to name a few. Other countries in Europe and Africa have also banned it and more are moving to do the same thing. Glyphosate has been declared a cancer causing agent by the World Health Organization. It is widely used in the agricultural sector in Belize as well as in homes. When it is sprayed on fields, whether by tractor or aerial, it gets into the water and the air and can cause serious health problems, as well as cancer. Seeking to reach the Coordinating Group of Pesticides Control Boards is a good start to work toward banning the use of glyphosate in Belize. Who doesn't know someone with cancer or renal failure; it is also harmful to pollinators such as bees and butterflies and those are just a few reasons why it should be banned. For more information on the petition write George and Candy Gonzalez at [email protected] or [email protected].

South Ambergris Caye Neighbourhood Watch June General Meeting
Join us at Lone Star Grill & Cantina for our regular monthly meeting. Wednesday June 8th at 7:00pm.

First Holy Communion, Caye Caulker
Congratulations to all the children who received their First Holy Communion today. Boys in the back left to right. Corbin Pacheco, Adrian Marin, Jamile Alvarado, Emir Magana Jr., Jadon Surtherland, Daniel Blease, Aneeki Palacio (not in photo), Royrick Sankey (not in photo). Girls left to right. Noriely Medina, Mia Cutkelvin, Kimanie Chuc, Flora Cho, Kagan Alamina, Sheily Magana.

Corozal Community College PROM NIGHT
From drum rolling, fire dance, fairy tale presentations, glamour, swag and some fire works displays - it was all their night. A total red carpet affair. Here is a snippet of last night CCC's PROM presentation. Congratulations to those that will be graduating and here is wishing you all the very best in your future endeavours. For those that did not make it, don't give up, but keep trying.

Psychedelic Blues Experience
Another great Full Moon concert at the Cayo Welcome Center. The Psychedelic Blues Experience provided some amazing blues. "The Belize Soul project, space for the creative arts and the San Ignacio & Santa Elena House of Culture (NICH) teamed up to have a full moon concert, and this time it was the Psychedelic Blues Experience. The Cayo Welcome Center was the perfect spot for it."

This lil raptor lost his nest after a forest fire
At the entrance of the Eligio Panti National Park swept down the tree with the nest. Tomorrow morning it will make its way to Belize Bird Rescue where it will be rehabilitated and put back into the wild.

The Reporter

Muhammad Ali dies; scheduled to be buried Friday
Retired three-time heavy weight champion, Muhammad Ali, 74, dubbed “The Greatest Boxer of All Time”, died Friday evening. His coffin has made its final journey home to Louisville, where the legend will be buried. The coffin touched down shortly after 4.30 p.m. Sunday, after a three-hour flight from Phoenix. Eleven funeral cars and a hearse pulled onto the tarmac to greet the star’s body along with his family. A police escort led the motorcade to a local funeral home where the burial will take place. Ali planned the arrangements for his funeral years ago. He wanted a procession to carry his body down an avenue that bears his name, through his boyhood neighborhood and down the same streets where he brought home a gold medal from the 1960 Olympics. Speaking about the plans, family spokesman Bob Gunnell said they “certainly believe that Ali was a citizen of the world … and they know that the world grieves with him.” Friends have revealed Ali’s fighting spirit helped him defy doctors for 20 years, as he held up against his debilitating Parkinson’s disease.

Miss Belize Universe restructured, returns!
The Miss Belize pageant, disgraced in the past by a series of unpleasantries, is back after an almost 10-year hiatus, with a restructured makeup managed by a three-party company, with the blessings of the National Institute of Culture and History (NICH) and strictly guided by a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The last time Belize sent a representative to participate in the Miss Universe pageant was 2007, but the company, Queen of the Jewel now managing and organizing the Miss Belize pageant, hopes that on September 10, a new Miss Belize will be selected to once again put Belize on the international stage in the most popular pageant in the world. Hoping to capitalize from the millions of viewers of the Miss Universe pageant, the owners of Queen of the Jewel, Orson Elrington, Opal Enriquez and Reynaldo Malic plan to promote Belize on this international platform. Elrington told the media at a press briefing on Wednesday that in its bid for the Miss Universe franchise, Queen of the Jewel enlisted the assistance of the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) as a partner to help highlight Belize and its culture in the venture. It also hopes to have the Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) in a similar capacity, and has also commissioned Belize’s Music Ambassador Shine Barrow to bring in international artists and hosts and to use the facilities available in the music industry to promote the pageant and Richard Holder as its director of photography.

Belize prepares for World Accreditation Day 2016
The Belize Bureau of Standards (BBS) in the Ministry of Trade, Investment Promotion, Private Sector Development and Consumer Protection, is preparing to host the 2016 celebration of World Accreditation Day. The event, which will gather several public and private sector entities to discuss the importance of accreditation, will be held on June 9 at the Best Western Belize Biltmore Plaza Hotel under the theme “Accreditation: A Global Tool to Support Public Policy.” Consumer Protection Liaison Officer with the BBS, Rodolfo Gutierrez, explained that the session will include information about organizations within Belize who have been certified by various accreditation bodies across the world, along with testimonials from the local organizations as to how accreditation has benefitted them. “What it does is that it focuses on what accreditation does for all areas of the public sector, both at the national and local government levels,” Gutierrez said. “The highlight will be a recognition ceremony for the BBS for having successfully implemented a Quality Management System through its recent certification on the ISO 9001 standard.”

Olympic Committee holds 20th Annual Olympic Day run
Around 200 participants gathered in front of Brodies on Regent Street for the 20th Annual Olympic Day run, hosted by the Belize Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association (BOCGA). The run, an event hosted worldwide by the numerous Olympic associations, had divisions for children nine years old and younger, ages 10-13, ages 14-19, and 20 and older. The participants started off at 6:30, and ran up Regent Street, turned on to Albert Street, went around the “Yabra” Cemetery and headed back towards Regent Street. The nine and under participants did a half lap, cutting off of Albert Street, onto King Street and then back to Regent Street. The 10-13 and 14-19 participants did one full lap, and the 20 and over did two laps. The Committee prepared certificates and medals for the top three winners and ribbons for all the other participants. However, Hilberto Martinez, president of the Olympic Association explained that the event takes on a more collaborative than competitive spirit.

Blogs

Dry Ambergris Caye Really Does Rock With Steve Miller’s Band “Abracadabra”
And right across the street, at Mahogany Bay Village, current and former members of the Steve Miller band were performing – a fundraiser for the South Ambergris Caye Neighborhood Watch. In all honesty, I wasn’t planning to attend…I LOVE STEVE MILLER…ahhhh…the greatest hits were a huge part of my college years (1991 to 1995) but the tickets were pricey. But I got LUCKY! As I was headed north to buy groceries, I met a friend who had an extra VIP PASS! WOOHOO! In what were basically pajamas, I jumped into her cart. They were doing tons of Steve Miller’s biggest hits…Jungle Love, Abracadabra, Fly Like An Eagle…and a sprinkling of others…Doobie Brothers and even Purple Rain by Prince – a close friend of one of the performers.

Half Moon Caye National Monument: This is Birding & Diving Heaven
As atolls go, Half Moon Caye National Monument is the furthest from Belize’s mainland and while it’s tiny, it has been given a very long name. In fact, this caye’s claim to fame is for the birds: It’s the nation’s oldest protected wildlife site and plenty of prestigious entities make sure it stays pristine, including Belize’s National Parks System Act of 1981, the Belize Audubon Society and this is designated a United Nations World Heritage site. Why so important? This is home to Boobies. Countless numbers of these noisy birds. So if you’re a birder, you may refer to this atoll simply as avian paradise. For starters, this unusually shaped parcel of land erupting from the sea has an asymmetric shape surrounded by a fringe of reef to create a platform that safeguards a tranquil lagoon. Every inch of the reef is lavished with coral patches that attract marine wildlife—especially fish—and it’s been around for longer than the nation of Belize has existed. Governments may have come and gone, but wildlife protection ordinances remain stringent, thus for a piece of land that only measures 41.5 acres in the midst of 9,658+ acres of sea, it’s understandable why this remote atoll is also one of the area’s most popular deep sea diving sites.

When the power goes out on Ambergris Caye, the feet start walking
True to its word, Belize Electric Ltd. (BEL) shut down the entire island’s electricity at 6 a.m. Saturday morning for some maintenance projects. I suppose that sounds a little strange to you, my First World family and friends, but that is how things are done here. When something is taken off-line for repairs, the whole island goes black. I guess we just don’t have the redundancy systems that would allow them to bypass a transformer, feeder, substation or whatever. By BEL does have a Facebook alert system and the utility posted warnings as early as Friday about the shutdown. So, you adjust, roll with it and move on. In my case, the power outage meant that Saturday morning presented a good time to take a nice walk up the beach in the Tres Cocos neighborhood to admire the good work our First Friday volunteer clean-up crews had accomplished.

International Sources

Exploring The Mystery of the Maya
Excellent article about Xunantunich from Taste of Life magazine. "A symphony of howler monkeys, parakeets and toucans announce a new day at the foothills of the ancient mountains of Belize. An alarm clock is a trivial possession here in the Cayo District, where creatures great and small sing homage to Kinich Ahau, the Mayan sun god, as the first golden rays slice through the dense jungle."

Widnes soldier learning survival and fighting skills in tropical Belize jungle
A SOLDIER from Widnes is battling tropical jungle conditions learning how to survive and fight in some of the world’s toughest environments. Owen Pettican, 21, a Lance Corporal in the 2nd Battalion of The Duke Of Lancaster’s Regiment, will be in Belize for a month working in energy-sapping humidity and temperatures of more than 30°C. He is working alongside the Belize Defence Force (BDF) – among the world’s best tropical fighting forces – and has been in the Army for four years, serving in Cyprus, Estonia, the Falkland Islands, Latvia and Kenya. The former Wade Deacon High School pupil said: “I never had any family connections to the Army but it was something I had always wanted to do since I was a little kid, some of my best mates are in the Army – I made a good choice. “This is one of the best places I have been to so far.

Neighbors Helped Maya with Disaster Recovery
An international research team led by Assoc. Professor Akira Ichikawa with the Institute for Advanced Research at Nagoya University have discovered a monumental platform (measuring 70 meters by 60 meters with four tiers) constructed using a variety of stones, at San Andrés, an archaeological site in El Salvador, shedding new light on the socio-cultural development of the Maya people who lived there. When the volcanic caldera, Ilopango, erupted between 400 CE and 500 CE, it devastated a number of Maya cities and covered an area of 10,000 square kilometers (at a minimum) in a blanket of ash a waist deep. The platform discovered at San Andrés was built directly above this layer of ash, suggesting the people were able to start the recovery process much sooner than previously thought, and they did it with the help of a neighboring community. The masonry architecture of the platform is very similar to the method of building associated with people from the Quelepa area (another archaeological site in eastern El Salvador), although the Maya in this region used earthen material for construction during this time period. The introduction of a new construction technology indicates that this neighboring group likely came to the city’s aid following the eruption.

Barrow soldier brothers tackle 'Mayan Warrior' training in Central America jungle
TWO brothers from Barrow are training in jungle warfare deep in the rainforests of Central America in one of the British Army's most demanding missions. Kingsmen Perry and Jordan Mason, infantrymen with the 2nd Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, are working alongside the Belize Defence Force in 'Exercise Mayan Warrior'. The former St Bernard's High School pupils are in Belize for five weeks with around 100 others from the battalion's Blenheim Company, learning how to survive and fight in energy-sapping humidity and temperatures of 30°C. Jordan, 21, joined the Battalion in April. He said: "I've only ever been abroad on holiday before, so I was really happy when they told me I was coming to Belize. "I've been surprised by how humid and sweaty it is, the snakes are a bit worrying, but I’m really enjoying the training."

Videos

Morning Matters with Larry, 58min.

Zip Lining Through The Jungle in Belize, 15min. Jaguar Cave zip line shore excursion in Belize. June 1, 2016.

Blackbird Caye Belize 2016, 9min.

Belize - The Secret Jewel, 3min. One of the world's most colorful places. Belize will never fail to impress! I loved every second of my trip. Filming locations - San Pedro, Belize City, Belmopan, Tikal National Park.

Belize 2016, 10min. Belize Vacation 2016.

Belize - San Pedro Ambergris Caye - Vacation - 2012, 5min. Our vacation to Belize San Pedro Ambergris Caye July 2012.

Cornhole tournament at the Truck Stop San Pedro Belize, 1min.

June 5, 2016

Congratulations to our new Miss Chiquitita 2016-2017, Lindsey Williams!

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

ABRACADABRA Band live at Mahogany Bay Village
The band which includes members and former members of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Steve Millers Band and Grammy Award Winning Bob Dylan, visits 'La Isla Bonita' for the first time!

SPRCS shines at the National Festival of Arts
For two weeks, the National Festival of Arts featured creative arts performances in drama, song, music and dance from pre-schoolers, primary school children, secondary students and even teachers. It is part of the Institute of Creative Arts (ICA) and the Ministry of Education’s goal to incorporate the creative arts into the education curriculum – that is, art education. Since Wednesday, May 25th, the national festival of arts showcase has been on-going at the Bliss Centre for the Performing Arts. On Thursday, May 28, primary schools from Toledo, Belmopan and Stann Creek took the stage to deliver star-quality performances. According to the judging panel, it had been a while since Ambergris Caye was represented in the National Festival of Arts. Every year a screened amount of presentations are chosen among dozens to perform at the festival. This year, Ambergris Caye made it to the top nine golden showcases from over fifty submissions from other school countrywide. SPRCS Standard 1 students took a pantomime show called ‘The Evolution of Dance.’ The performers, who appeared with unusual body shapes in a mini theatrical stage, added to the entertainment and dramatic part of the national golden show case.

Caye International Bank hosts forum on Belize-Guatemala territorial dispute
As part of its staff development process, Caye International Bank (CIB) hosts bi-weekly seminars and sessions to enhance its workforce. On Friday, May 27th, the CIB hosted a forum to discuss a hot topic: Belize/Guatemala Territorial Dispute. Ambassador Stuart Leslie, Coordinator of the Referendum Unit and representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was the invited guest speaker. Since 2013, Leslie has been conducting a public awareness campaign throughout the country to gain the full support of Belizeans to settle the territorial dispute once and for all. The Referendum Unit highly recommends going to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which is the highest Court in the international law established to deal with legal and non-legal disputes. It has been many years since Guatemala has been claiming Belizean territory, but they have not taken the matter to court. During the presentation, Leslie educated the bankers about the pros, cons, and risks of taking Guatemala’s long standing claim over Belizean territory to the ICJ.

Inspiration Center to host their biggest fundraiser
The San Pedro Roman Catholic School opened the ceremony with the National Anthem, and Pastor Alex Tzib gave the invocation. San Pedro Education Officer Nelma Jones spoke first at the event, expressing her delight in recognizing the hard work and dedication of all public officers of San Pedro. “We are proud to consider ourselves servant leaders that serve the Belizean public, and provide the essential services that attribute to the smooth running of our country,” said Jones. The fundraiser will serve as the inaugural event for Mahogany Bay’s, “The Great House”, and special invited guests will include Right Honorable Dean Barrow and his wife. Tickets are $150 BZ and may be purchased at El Fogon, Ramon’s Village, Blue Water Grill, Super Buy, and Rum + Bean. The dress code is white island casual. The event will start at 7PM and run through 11PM. Starting at 8PM, a buffet dinner will be served, and a cash bar will be opened for guests to purchase their selection of drinks. From 9PM to 11PM, Rock and Roll band, The Tequilla Shooters from the USA, will perform. There will be a silent auction and some amazing raffles! Raffle tickets will be sold for $20 BZ, and the prizes include: a one week trip/stay at Martha’s Vineyard (where the Obamas spend their summer vacation)—which includes a round trip airfare on American Airlines, a Louis Vuitton designer handbag, scuba lessons for two at Hol Chan Marine Tour courtesy of Scuba School and Family Dive Center Belize, a guided fishing trip by Blue Bone Fish, a gift certificate from Ka’ana Belize, and a gift package from the SunBreeze Hotel.

Public Service Fair held in San Pedro
Public officers, government officials, students, teachers, and community members gathered at Central Park to celebrate the 4th Annual Public Service Information Fair on Wednesday, June 1st. The theme selected for this year was: “Our Public Service, A Pillar of Belize’s Growth and Development, Our Hallmark: Efficiency and Professionalism.” During the month of June, public officers will engage in an array of activities that include community service, open houses, and public awareness of available services. The San Pedro Roman Catholic School opened the ceremony with the National Anthem, and Pastor Alex Tzib gave the invocation. San Pedro Education Officer Nelma Jones spoke first at the event, expressing her delight in recognizing the hard work and dedication of all public officers of San Pedro. “We are proud to consider ourselves servant leaders that serve the Belizean public, and provide the essential services that attribute to the smooth running of our country,” said Jones.

Misc Belizean Sources

Public notice
On behalf of Inspector Benguche, Police Dept and the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Board, the public is advised that there should be no sale of Liquor on 19 June 2016 from 6am to 6pm or until all results are announced for the Village Council Elections.

Raffle
Help support the darts team get to Barbados for a competition by buying a couple of tickets for the raffle of this awesome scooter.

INTERNATIONALIZING THE STRUGGLE FOR BELIZE AGAINST AGGRESSION!
In the footsteps of all the Belizean activists who came before us, and whose footsteps we Belizeans in resistance against imperialism walk in, it is most important that we remember the Mayan Belizean activist Julian Cho, the Belizean Patriot, Minister Philip Goldson, the writer of the Belizean national anthem, Colonel Samuel Haynes, the leaders of the resistance against the Anglo Guatemalan claim of 1981 called the Heads of Agreement, Odinga Lumumba and Maria Socorro Babadilla, and today in the spirit of the southern Belizean activist against the Guatemalan military aggression in the South of Belize, Wil Mehia.

FCD renewed another year of partnership with the Wildlife Institute which seeks to support conservation of scarlet macaws.

A handful of cuteness for your weekend!
All wild babies on the beginning of a long road to release.

Amandala

Genaro Che, a soldier of the Belize Defence Force, was slain almost eighteen years ago by alleged Guatemalan military men in Belizean territory. However, to date his family has not received any compensation from the Government of Belize. Today, KREMANDALA radio and TV personality, Carolyn “YaYa” Marin Coleman, led a heartfelt one-woman protest on the grounds where Che took his final breath before being fatally shot several times. Her protests, she told Amandala, will continue the second day of every month from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. until Che’s family is adequately compensated. “The point of the protest is to bring pressure on this administration to compensate this family and to compensate them handsomely,” said Yaya. Her protest is aimed at Prime Minister Dean Barrow, who in 1998 served as Belize’s Minister of Foreign Affairs but did not compensate the Che family in the aftermath of the tragedy, before the administration for which he served was replaced by a PUP administration, which also was guilty of not compensating the family.

Murder in Riviera
A taxicab driver of the Riviera area of Belmopan, Leonel Gillett, 45, was found dead in his yard yesterday, having been shot shot multiple times. His body was already in a state of decomposition. An onsite post-mortem examination was conducted on Gillett’s body, and the results certified that his death was caused by gunshot wounds. Gillett was then buried. Police reported that at about 1:30 yesterday afternoon, they went to an area in west Belmopan and found the body of a Creole man that was partially nude. He was wearing grey underwear and was lying face-up in pools of dried blood on the steps of a mobile home. He had been shot in the abdomen, the left side of the back and in the left side of the head. The body was later identified as that of Leonel Theodore Gillett, 45, a taxi driver of west Belmopan. An initial investigation revealed that at about 9:00 Tuesday night, May 31, Gillett left his mother’s house on Stann Creek Street en route to his house.

Boy, 14, uses machete to defend mother from abusive stepfather
A 14-year-old Hattieville boy will not face charges after chopping his stepfather with a machete in response to an incident of domestic abuse. According to residents of Hattieville, Richard Smith (no age provided) has a history of abusing his common-law wife, Ursula Ferguson (no age provided). However, on Tuesday morning, Smith became a victim of the very weapon he was wielding when his stepson intervened in an attack by Smith on the boy’s mother, Ferguson. According to ACP Edward Broaster, “The female was held and prevented from calling the police; when she did manage to call the police and the police responded, the suspect fled into the bushes. Sometime thereafter, he went and hid in the ceiling of the house and when the victim returned with her son, he attacked them both — hence the reason the son defended his mother and inflicted the wounds upon the suspect, who had inflicted wounds on both of them as well. The suspect will be arrested and charged and taken to court.”

Fatal attraction: Keshane McDougal, 22, couldn’t stay away from minor, 14
A 22-year-old man who was arraigned in March on a single count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old girl and who was released on Supreme Court bail got a surprise this morning when five more charges of unlawful sexual intercourse were read to him, when he and his attorney appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith. Attorney Herbert Panton, who is representing Keshane Shaquille McDougal, who was arraigned on one count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old minor, appeared in court this morning and told the court that the charge against his client should be dismissed because the 90-day period during which his client should have received his disclosure had already passed, and that the police have no evidence against his client. The court prosecutor, however, surprised Panton and McDougal when, instead of withdrawing the charge against him, five more charges of unlawful sexual intercourse were read to him. This brings the total number of unlawful sexual intercourse allegations which McDougal is now facing to six.

US asked to seize $130 mil of GOB’s money
Although Belizean courts, including the country’s highest appellate court – the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) – have said that arbitration awards handed down by the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) in favor of the Ashcroft group of companies could not be enforced against the Government of Belize, the parties are winning their appeals in US courts, which have been asked to “confirm and enforce” the arbitration awards. In a painful end to a string of litigation dating back a decade, a US federal court in Columbia this month upheld two rulings against the Government of Belize. Last week, we reported on the ruling against the Government, whose appeal against the enforcement of a US$4.26 arbitration award in favor of Newco, a company set up in Belize by US investors in a botched airport concession deal, had been struck down. Newco had won foreign arbitration held in Miami. That was “peanuts” compared to another ruling handed down the same day.

Belize Rural Female Softball Tournament results
The Belize Rural Female Softball Tournament had 2 games on Sunday, May 29, in Lords Bank, both from Division A. Undefeated UB Jaguars from Belmopan defeated Exotic Girls of Hattieville, 12-2. Winning pitcher was Karlene Williams, and the loser was Iceny Baptist. And Orchid Girls of Hattieville won, 14-3, over Lords Bank Sunrise. Therese Baptist got the win for Orchid Girls, while Karen Hilton took the loss for Lords Bank.

Smart 13 & Under Mundialito All Stars weekend
Things are heating up in the Smart 13 & Under Mundialito competition, being played every Saturday at the MCC Grounds. Only 4 of the 11 participating teams will make it to the 4-team knockout playoffs, and with 4 more regular season weekends remaining, the race is tight for the 4 playoff spots. (See Standings below at the end of Week 7.) Leading goal scorers at Week 7 are Rashied Lord of City Boys with 4 goals, followed by Eldon Byrd of Brown Bombers with 3. Week 8 games are scheduled for this Saturday, and on Sunday there will be the now traditional showcase games featuring All Stars North vs South followed by the coaches vs officials game.

Cricket Corner: Berlan snatched 1st place from Wicked 11
Hello, cricket readers and fans thereof. With the kind sponsorship of this year’s cricket competition, thanks to Belikin and Smart, under the auspices of the Belize National Cricket Association, the Harrison Parks 2016 Cricket Competition continued over the weekend. It was a very beautiful day for cricket in the ever so beautiful village of Flowers Bank. And for the annual event of Flowers Bank Day, the most wonderful event was the cricket game between home team Wicked 11 and Berlan. As I mentioned in my previous article, Wicked 11 held a narrow lead over Berlan. Berlan proved that it was narrow indeed, when they defeated Wicked 11, 105 to 101 with 6 wickets to spare. Wicked 11 took to bat first. At the start, things were not looking good for the wicked boys, as Orson Flowers took the first wicket for 14, then the second for 21. Then another wicket fell by Jermaine Baizar for 47. Next wicket was taken by Orson Flowers. The score now stands at 61. The fifth wicket fell for 85; 6 for 86.

2016 2nd Bi-Annual RF&G; National Ranking Table Tennis Tournament results
The 2016 – 2nd Bi-Annual RF&G; National Ranking Tournament took place this past Sunday, May 29, at the BES Auditorium. Some 50 table tennis players, ranging from ages 10 to 65, participated across the A, B, C and Women divisions in this annual National Ranking event. 6 players competed in the A Division category, but only 4 made it into the Double Elimination Final round of the competition. These included Taye Parkinson, Amiri Hoare, Latrell Solis and Jorge Espat. After heated matches among these top players, the final results were as follows: A Division – 1st Taye Parkinson; 2nd Amiri Hoare; 3rd Latrell Solis; 4th Jorge Espat. In the B Division category, 12 of the B category players competed in a round-robin classification event, with the top 7 advancing to the Double Elimination Finals. These included Rohit Pagarani, Luis Bardalez, Joshua Gegg, Kevin Chen, Taye Parkinson, Marion Usher and Jorge Espat. Taye Parkinson made his way to the finals undefeated, overcoming Kevin Chen, Jorge Espat and Joshua Gegg. Rohit Pagarani made his way back to the finals after his first loss to Joshua Gegg in the top half of the draw, by beating out Kevin Chen and Jorge Espat, and by beating Joshua Gegg in their second meeting in the Losers Bracket.

The Chetumal phenomenon in context
Most Belizeans believe that it is our money which built Chetumal into the modern city that it is. Clinton Canul Luna, a Belizean who left Corozal to live in Acapulco, Mexico as a child after Hurricane Janet in 1955 and remained there for almost four decades, has a different view. He believes that the oil wealth of the modern Mexican state contributed a great deal to the transformation of what used to be a village/town called Payo Obispo just across the Rio Hondo, into the great city of Chetumal. No matter, Belizeans spend a lot of money in Chetumal. Belizeans have been in total love with Chetumal for many, many years, and we have paid a substantial economic price for this love affair. All through the decades, many more Belizean dollars have flown across the Rio Hondo than Mexican pesos have drifted over here from Chetumal. It is impossible to pinpoint exactly when Belizean housewives decided that they were “stretching” their dollar by taking a bus across the border to go shop in Chetumal. Belizeans began taking Chetumal excursion bus trips all the way from the Stann Creek and Toledo Districts, but the big money always came from Belize City, our nation’s financial and population center. In the Corozal and Orange Walk Districts, it was as if the people partly lived in Chetumal, the northern border was so near.

From the Publisher
What do you do in a democracy when your opinions are absolutely minority ones? Well, in my case nowadays, what I do is write columns and editorials in this newspaper and hope that someday the majority of you guys will see it my way. When I was a young man and had minority opinions, some of which I still have, I was involved in a militant organization of young Belizeans which marched in the streets in expression and support of our opinions. I had learned a little about revolutionary change while at university in the United States, and one thing those who knew about revolutionary change said was this: you cannot make revolution in a society which allows for democratic change. Assad Shoman and Said Musa, young Belizean attorneys of Palestinian descent who had studied in the United Kingdom, had some opinions which were similar to mine in certain respects. But there was a significant difference between us, in that they could probably have been described as scientific socialists in 1968, whereas I could have been considered a black nationalist.

Letter to the Editor: Compromis, ICJ and the UN Security Council
Dear Editor: THE ICJ—YES or NO! The teachers, citizens, and leaders of Punta Gorda who didn’t attend the educational forum that the BNTU sponsored on the evening of May 26 not only missed out on well presented facts and ideas of the participating presenters but also missed out on the opportunity to participate in the democratic process. One would think that with a subject as important as the ICJ issue, citizens would want as much information on the various sides as possible. By not attending they are not as well informed as they need to be. Pleading ignorance may work as an excuse for the average citizen but it is not an option that is normally granted to those who have been tasked to educate our children. Neither the Government nor the Opposition had a presenter so we are left to wonder whether they are truly interested in the education of the populace on this vital issue. I certainly learned a great deal I hadn’t been aware of before. I do not want to believe the government has deliberately deluded the people, but I do believe they have been encouraged by outside interests to look at solutions to the Belize/Guatemala issue from only one perspective (There is also the possibility that having so many lawyers running the Government causes them to favor litigation when there are other ways of approaching a problem.)

Did Belize fall into Guatemala’s trap?
A document published online by Guatemala’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs claims that when the Government of Belize accepted the lingua in the agreements beginning 16 years ago in 2000, which call Belize’s border with Guatemala an “adjacency line,” it also recognized that there are no recognized boundaries between the countries. The declaration is striking, particularly in regard to doubts expressed by Belize’s Foreign Minister about the location of Belize’s borders, especially as they relate to our marine space. Gustavo Adolfo Orellana Portillo, Guatemala’s legal advisor, wrote a document dated 2010 titled, “Background and Study of The Special Agreement between Guatemala and Belize to Submit Guatemala’s Territorial, Insular and Maritime Claim to the International Court of Justice [ICJ].” The document was prepared for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala, and specifically for “the Belize Commission,” a group which has since been dissolved.

Belize experienced its first act of Guatemalan terrorism on May 2, 1998
Eighteen years ago, on May 2, 1998, Belize experienced its first act of terrorism. Heavily armed Guatemalan men who exhibited considerable military skills, seized control of the Hummingbird Highway and terrorized over two hundred Belizeans, who were held hostage. While many were robbed of their personal possessions, a Belize Defence Force (BDF) soldier, Genaro Che, was unfortunately robbed of his life. Che, 21, along with his older brother, Rosendo Che, 24, boarded a James Bus to Belize City to buy a generator for his (Genaro’s) wedding, which was scheduled for July of 1998. However, while on the Hummingbird Highway, their bus, as were many other vehicles travelling in both directions, was stopped by armed Guatemalan bandits. Genaro, who had initially given the bandits a dollar, attempted (after his life was threatened by the bandits, who demanded more money) to reach into his socks to surrender money he had saved for his generator. However, when he did so, he was shot in the head and then in other parts of his body.

Outbreak of bovine rabies threatens Cayo and Belize River Valley
The Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA) announced this week that there is an outbreak of bovine rabies, which it warns is highly fatal. In its release issued Wednesday, it said that, “The disease is almost always fatal, but can be prevented through vaccination of animals and post exposure treatment to humans.” “Affected animals will usually show nervous signs and aggressive behavior. Most animals will show excessive salivation as swallowing becomes impossible. Avoid coming in contact with animals showing these symptoms and immediately call BAHA Officers to report any suspected cases,” it added. “The disease is currently being detected in the Cayo District and is expected to affect herds in the Belize River Valley, as suspected cases have also been detected in areas along the Macal River,” BAHA said. “The spread of the disease can be halted if livestock farmers vaccinate their cattle against rabies. Farmers are warned that the disease can be transmitted to humans,” BAHA said.

Brits used Belize to foster secret military alliance with Guatemala: Vice
Belize received its Independence from Great Britain in 1981, supposedly on the premise of a defense guarantee to protect the country from invasion by Guatemala; what Belizeans did not know is that Britain was very preoccupied with helping Guatemala leaders, who now stand accused of mass massacres in their home country, to suppress their opponents, some of whom were said to have been operating in Belize. Information recently published by an international news source pointed to “Britain’s covert collusion” with the regime of Efrain Rios Montt, on trial for mass genocide, at the height of the 36-year civil war—an alliance which the report, recently published by Vice of Canada, is said to being called into question by files discovered at the UK National Archives. Montt is also said to have been backed by the US and Israel, from whom Guatemala reportedly received arms and aid support.

How the British Army cooperated with the murderous Guatemalan regime
–Guatemalans are still struggling to come to terms with what happened in their civil war between US-backed rulers, left-wing rebels, and indigenous communities. One former president, Rios Montt, is awaiting trial for genocide, charged with murdering 1,771 indigenous Maya people from 1982 to 1983. Now Britain’s covert collusion with Montt’s regime at the height of the 36-year civil war is being called into question by files VICE has discovered at the UK National Archives. In 1983, Britain had a garrison of 1,500 soldiers stationed along the Guatemalan border in neighboring Belize, which was a former UK colony. Politicians in Westminster and the public thought that the British army was out there to stop Guatemala invading Belize, a move it had long threatened. In secret, however, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher allowed her troops to help the ruthless Guatemalan military dictatorship eliminate its internal opponents.

Hurricane season starts: 10 to 16 storms predicted by NOAA
The hurricane season starts on Wednesday, June 1, and while experts are forecasting a near normal season this year, the latest information published by the National Hurricane Center in Miami indicates that this year could see anywhere between 10 and 16 named storms. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts a 70% chance that this many cyclones, with wind speeds of at least 39 mph, will form in the Atlantic Basin this year. Of those, 4 to 8 could become hurricanes (with winds of 74 mph or higher), but anywhere from 1 to 4 could be major hurricanes (packing a strength of category 3, 4 or 5, with winds of 111 mph or higher). “This is a more challenging hurricane season outlook than most because it’s difficult to determine whether there will be reinforcing or competing climate influences on tropical storm development,” said Gerry Bell, Ph.D., lead seasonal hurricane forecaster with NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. “However, a near-normal prediction for this season suggests we could see more hurricane activity than we’ve seen in the last three years, which were below normal,” he said.

Yaya, one-woman army, battles for Genaro Che’s family
Genaro Che, a soldier of the Belize Defence Force, was slain almost eighteen years ago by alleged Guatemalan military men in Belizean territory. However, to date his family has not received any compensation from the Government of Belize. Today, KREMANDALA radio and TV personality, Carolyn “YaYa” Marin Coleman, led a heartfelt one-woman protest on the grounds where Che took his final breath before being fatally shot several times. Her protests, she told Amandala, will continue the second day of every month from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. until Che’s family is adequately compensated. “The point of the protest is to bring pressure on this administration to compensate this family and to compensate them handsomely,” said Yaya. Her protest is aimed at Prime Minister Dean Barrow, who in 1998 served as Belize’s Minister of Foreign Affairs but did not compensate the Che family in the aftermath of the tragedy, before the administration for which he served was replaced by a PUP administration, which also was guilty of not compensating the family.

The Reporter

WHO updates advice on unprotected and Zika virus infection
The World Health Organization (WHO) is now recommending that women who wish to get pregnant wait a minimum of eight weeks before trying, if their partner has been to an area with confirmed Zika virus cases. The WHO issued the advisory this week after new data revealed that the virus is being sexually transmitted at a higher rate than previously thought. The new recommendation is double the abstinence period that the organization had previously recommended. “Sexual partners of women, living in or returning from areas where local transmission of the Zika virus is known to occur, should practice safer sex or abstinence for at least the whole duration of the pregnancy,” the WHO added for those already pregnant. WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier, explained that the WHO updated the recommendations after scientists discovered that the virus lingers in the blood or other body fluids for longer than originally thought. “The guidance is to delay or consider delaying pregnancy, certainly recognizing that this is tough for some populations,” Lindmeier said.

Corozal fire chief dies in RTA
Members of the Belize National Fire Service are in shock after the sudden, tragic death of the Corozal Fire Chief Meshach Henry, 33, in a road traffic accident. Corozal police say that at around 11:30 on Friday night, Henry, while riding his Kawasaki motor cycle, collided with a white Ford dump truck at the junction of Seventh and 10th Avenues in Corozal Town. The truck, driven by 64-year-old Jose Gregory Williams, was crossing the intersection when the collision occurred. Henry, who was flung under the truck as a result of the impact, died at the scene from multiple injuries. His body landed about 30 feet from where his motorcycle fell. He was not wearing a helmet. Corozal police have since served Williams with a notice of intended prosecution. Henry started working at the department in December 2005 in field operations, and by August 2011, was promoted to the rank of leading firefighter, where he worked in the operations field. He was subsequently moved to the fire safety section, where he achieved yet another promotion to Sub-station officer. He was transferred to Corozal on August 1, 2014, taking up the post of Officer in Charge.

Breaking Belize News

Popular Dangriga artist killed in robbery attempt
Sometime after 11:00 p.m. last night in Dangriga Town, while popular singer and songwriter John Jay Rodriguez was socializing inside a gambling shop, a robbery attempt went tragically wrong, ending his life. According to information received, three male persons entered the establishment with intent to rob its owners and one of them fired a single shot to get the crowd of patrons to disperse. That shot, in an unfortunate plot twist, went through the neck of a male person, then hit Rodriguez to the face.

Boxing legend Muhammad Ali dead at 74
Muhammad Ali, world heavyweight boxing champion who captured many hearts with his flamboyant style and enduring heart, died this evening of respiratory failure caused by Parkinson’s syndrome. Born Cassius Marcellus Clay in Louisville, Kentucky, he became a star after changing his name following his first defeat of Sonny Liston in 1964. Ali started in the Nation of Islam before adopting traditional Islam in his later years. The young champion would visit the-then British Honduras in 1964 and hold public sparring workouts in Belize City, endearing himself to yet another population.

Blogs

“I Can’t Stand Up For Falling Down” away from San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize.
I enjoyed a little lie in after the extremes of the previous day and didn’t get up until around 06.30 hours and after showering etc I went for breakfast. I knew that on this day above most other days I needed food in my stomach. This was the day for The Jolly Boys’ Outing. But before I give you the gory details of the day a bit of background information as to how the Jolly Boys’ Outing came about might be of interest (or not. You decide!). I mentioned in a previous edition that my best friend John Townley and I first started working with each other in 1982 and this remained that way until 1995 when we went our separate ways. I , in a fit of pique, decided to leave News International (the company I’d been at for 24 years) when Rupert Murdoch’s son-in-law was appointed above me. I was told that he wouldn’t be there long. All I had to do was nursemaid him. Make sure that nothing went wrong. I was so much younger then though and maybe had too much pride. So, I handed in my notice and left six months later.

Beautiful tropical island wedding at Coco Beach resort, Belize
Christina & Howard had their dream wedding on a beautiful beach surrounded by an intimate group of family and best friends. Morning weddings are perfect because once the ceremony is done, you celebrate with lunch and off you go to have fun for the rest of the day. I loved all the details Christina took care of, and I loved the vibe of this group… super happy and follow up photographer instructions by the book.. smooth & easy and with tons of fun. Enjoy few of their photos!

International Sources

Caribbean urged to brace for more hurricane activity this year
A two-day Caribbean Regional Climate Outlook Forum (CariCOF) began with the region being told to brace itself for a wetter than usual season and chances of more hurricane activity this year than in the past five years. Climatologist with the Dominica Meteorologist Service (DMS) Annie Carrette-Jospeh, who presented the Wet/Hurricane Season Outlook for 2016, said that between the period June and August, there would also be a gradual drought alleviation across the region and that “surface water reservoirs will recharge, there will be soil moisture replenishment and an increase in river flow”. She predicted that water shortage-related problems in agriculture will disappear in many places and that “where it has not already started, the wet season may start abruptly in June”. The outlook noted that the second half of the wet season will be wetter or unusual in countries like Belize and the Leeward Islands with Carrette-Joseph warning that “moist conditions may favour mosquito breeding”.

Videos

LA VOZ KARAOKE 2016 - WEEK 8, 130min.

Morning Matters of the Day, 60min.

Belize AMOR 2016, 5min.

Hopkins, Belize - Hamanasi Resort - Beach - May 2016, 7min. Hamanasi Adventure and Dive Resort There were not many videos out there showing the Hamanasi Grounds when I first started looking at booking our Honeymoon there so I just wanted to share a little bit of what it was like. It was relaxing and beautiful.

A quick escape to Belize - Caye Caulker, 7min. We have a tropical weekend adventure in Belize.

Belize Vac Video MP4 File, 33min. Tara and Christian's Wedding and Family Vacation.

Diving the Blue Hole in Belize, 8min.

Shyne Performs Live From Belize At Diddys Bad Boy Reunion Tour NY, 2.5min.

belize PZ movie, 8min.

UNTIE THE LINES II #39 - Flying Visit To Belize, 13min. Tom has a job to do on the island of Roatan, so Kalr and me gave him a lift there, stopping at two little islands of Belize. It's beautiful to be out and about again, feeling the wind and swinging at anchor.

June 4, 2016