AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Belize Life News Daily news prior to today Today's Belize News: November 7, 2015

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Specials and Events

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

The San Pedro Sun

Reasons to BELIZE
As a visitor, you have all sorts of countries to check out in the world. Your choices are practically unlimited, so why should you consider Belize? No theme parks: Disneyland, Sea world, Six Flags…etc…they all sound really fun and exciting. But you know what? We don't have any of that. We do have crazy cool REAL Maya temples - move over 'temple of doom'! We have hiking trails that lead you up peaks and valleys, often landing in the middle of a seemingly magical waterfall, surrounded by the twittering of birds, cascades of butterflies darting to and fro, free in nature, as it should be!

Islanders enjoy spooky Haunted House for Charity
On October 29th and 30th, island residents took part in the 2nd annual Haunted House at Wayo's Beachside Beernet. Organized by Dee Regis, Brittney O'Daniel and Krista Lee, the event not only celebrated the festive Halloween spirit but also raised funds for a charitable organization. This year, proceeds of the Haunted House benefited the Ambergris Caye Elementary School (ACES) Special Needs Program which aims to offer a quality education to island children living with a physical or mental disability. The event was a huge success with residents and visitors alike coming out to have fun, all while supporting a worthy cause. For a fee of $1 for children and $5 for adults, attendees had the chance to enter the spooky house and be scared by monsters, ghouls and ghosts. Apart from the haunted house, organizers also held raffles with amazing prizes such as a $150 grocery certificate to Mermaid Superstore and a snorkel for two complimentary of Chuck and Robbie's Dive Shop. Wayos Haunted House for Charity (3)Guests also took part in 50/50 raffles and even a costume contest. "Volunteers worked extremely hard to set up the spooky house, scare all those who attended and clean up after the event! In total, $1,362 was raised. All of this money will go towards guaranteeing a special needs child a scholarship for the 2016-2017 school year," said Director of Special Education at ACES, Sarah Freudenberg.

Reef along Ambergris Caye Suffers Bleaching
According to Marine Biologist at Hol Chan Marine Reserve Kirah Castillo, on their latest survey of the reef in front of the island, they did find some abnormalities, but it was not necessarily all bleaching. "We have been out there and so far there has been some bleached corals found but it is not a lot, what we have observed is a lot of pale corals. This means that the algae that lives within the coral (which gives it its colors) has left and so the coral becomes pale, but it is not dead. Bleaching is when the coral is completely dead and the few corals that have died so far we believe are due to the rise in temperature and low tides. Fortunately, after looking at some satellite images of the water in front of Ambergris Caye, it has shown that the water temperature has cooled down," said Castillo. She explained that as temperatures become more favorable, the corals that are pale and at risk of bleaching will eventually have the returns of the algae that pump life into them again. "Usually during the summers, the temperature in the water goes up, but this summer was hotter than other ones. If the temperatures are around 28C-29C they do well, but anything from 30C and above is not good for the reef, that is when they become stressed and the algae ends up leaving and the coral reef is then at risk of bleaching," stated Castillo.

Key player in Ponzi Scheme captured in Ambergris Caye
A key player in one of the largest fraud schemes in history has been caught on Ambergris Caye. According to official reports, David Miguel Nanes Schnitzer was arrested in San Pedro Town on Tuesday, November 3rd following a special operation conducted by the San Pedro Police Department, International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) and the US Marshals Service. He was part of the Ponzi scheme which was orchestrated by financier Allen Stanford and resulted in a $7US billion fraud. Nanes Schnitzer was the president of Stanford Group Mexico overseeing operations in Mexico, Panama and other parts of Latin America. According to police, Nanes Schnitzer had been living in San Pedro for close to three years and had obtained Belizean documents including a passport, driver's license, boat captain license and even a Social Security card. While living here Nanes Schnitzer was under a different name, thus eluding authorities. Since his apprehension, he has been processed by the San Pedro Police Department and handed over to INTERPOL. Nanes Schnitzer will be handed over to Mexican authorities to face charges for his crimes.

Ambergris Today

Historic Third Swearing in of Dean Barrow as Belize Prime Minister
It was indeed a historic moment and win for Hon. Dean Barrow and the United Democratic Party (UDP) with 19 confirmed seat and a possible 20th still in dispute in Stann Creek which results are yet to be announced. Nevertheless, the UDP won the majority of 31 constituencies with 19 seats compared to the 11 seats won by the main opposition PUP. The Prime Minister is now tasked with the reorganization of a Cabinet with no less than 12 Ministers; he is expected to appoint 12 ministries with two senators appointed as well. In a press conference with the Belize media PM Barrow recommits to working for the development of Belize. Addressing supporters in Belize City, the 64-year-old Barrow described the win - the first ever third consecutive term - as a "magnificent victory".

Misc Belizean Sources

Corozal: CARIBBEAN TIRE presents Customer Appreciation Day
Today, November 7th at the park in front of Hotel Maya. FREE FOOD & DRINKS. Bring out the entire family and take advantage of the many discounts!

Power interruptions scheduled for portions of the Stann Creek District on Monday, November 9
8:30am to 11:30am: Placencia Peninsula from Surfside Development area to Plantation area, including Coco Plum Dev, Maya Beach, Pionciana Dr, Coconut Walk Rd & Forest Lagoon Estate. BEL to repair hotspots, energize underground cable & install equipment on power distribution system in area. 1:30pm to 3:30pm: Placencia Peninsula from Turtle Inn to Robert's Grove including, Seine Bight & Placencia Lagoon Estate. BEL to energize new high voltage lines in the area. 3:30pm to 5:00pm: entire Placencia Village up to Turtle Inn, Henry Young Island & portions of Noralez Ext and Malacate Areas of Independence Village. BEL to repair hot spots on power distribution system in the area.

Another Saga Humane Society success story...from potlicker to princess!
Finally our silly girl Nena has hit the jackpot! Nena is now resting comfortably in her new home in the states. Thank you Tanya for seeing Nena for what she is- a loving, beautiful girl with a sense of humor. We're all cheering for our girl! A few words from Tanya: Me and my husband came to san pedro for vacation and visit friends...we ended up leaving with two fur babies. They are both so sweet. Nena was in for two years...she is absolutely amazing. So glad we were able to meet her and bring her home!

November - Belize Screen on the Green
Belize Screen on the Green is back for the month of November!!! Please join us at Governor General Field on Thursday, November 12, 2015 for the screening of the film Cindarella Man. Movie starts at dark and free popcorn and drinks while they last! About the movie: The true story of an athlete who achieved his greatest success against the most daunting odds of his life is brought to the screen in this historical drama.

Costing and Pricing Workshop
Cost of Workshop: $40.00 *** First THREE person to register get's $5.00 off *** Workshop Date: November 12th, 2015 Time: 9 am to 12 noon. WORKSHOP LOCATION: BELTRAIDE Office, Belmopan City, Belize Tel: 223-3195 or email: sbdc@belizeinvest.org.bz. The overall objective of this training is to equip our clients with knowledge, skills, and capabilities necessary to determine all costs related to the production of their goods or services and es all the costs and allows them to make a profit while still being feasible for customers. to consequently apply an adequate price that encompass.

Belizean Security Forces, US Army conduct counter-drug operation
Belizean security forces and Joint Task Force-Bravo partnered during Operation CARACOL, a marijuana eradication mission, led by Belizean intelligence forces between Oct. 26-30, 2015, in various sectors of the Central American nation of Belize. The purpose of the operation was to build upon the counter-drug partnership between the U.S. and Belize, and put Belizean security forces in the front seat in terms of establishing potential areas where marijuana farms might exist, determining their impact to the drug trade in the region and then eliminating fields they identified as targets. "I was very impressed to see the different units come together at the tactical and operational level to conduct such a difficult mission," said U.S. Army Maj. Douglas Hoyt, JTF-B planning officer. "The Belize Defense Force, Mobile Interdiction Team, Anti-Narcotics Unit, Belize Coast Guard, Belize Police Department, and 1-228 Aviation Regiment all brought their expertise together to form a strong team that was commanded and controlled under the Belize Joint Intelligence and Operation Center at Price Barracks."

Lion's Club Sellathon in San Pedro Today
One man's sellathon items may be another man's treasure!!!!

Phoenix Weekly cleanup
Today at 8am we will be leading another trash clean up. We will meet in front of the resort (beachside)and head south to Blue Water Grill -. Gloves, bags and water will be provided. We want to give a huge thanks to our volunteers last week who were faced with an abnormal amount of plastic and styrofoam that had washed ashore. It was so much more than we have ever seen before so thanks for all your great efforts. It definitely made a difference. Also thank you to Licks restaurant who provided the water last week. Much appreciated.

Trash in the Can. Toes in the Sand
On Thursday, a number of 10 garbage drums were placed on North, Ambergris Caye as part of maintaining San Pedro clean. We hope everyone makes good use of these containers.

Ocean Ferry Belize Limited opens today
We launch TODAY!!! Please note that there will be NO BOAT 6 am and 8 am from San Pedro due to captains being at our head office for the launch. Join us in this Momentous event or welcome us home at the cayes.

Cayo Art Festival 2015
Happy 5th anniversary, SISE House of Culture! The SISE HoC is celebrating 5 years, and for the ocassion they're having the Cayo Art Festival on Saturday, November 28th. It'll be at the Cayo Welcome Center, starting at 10:00am, and In Bloom will be performing. There will be tons of activities for kids, and local artists will be displaying their works of art. "SISEHOC 5th Anniversary. Come and join us for the Cayo Art Festival 2015 at the Cayo Welcome Center."

This is precisely why parrots are loathed by citrus farmer
A red lored is enjoying his single orange, but a flock can pick off quite a few fruits at a time in their search for seeds. We encourage citrus farmers to grow 'decoy crops' such as bitter orange (pictured) which contain many more seeds than the commercial crop and are preferred by the parrots. Contact us if you would like information on this and other decoys and humane deterrents that may help to keep birds away from your cash crop.

CATA European Roadshow 2015

Taipei International Travel Fair 2015

Channel 7

Who Will Lead After Francis?
Last night you hear PUP Leader Francis Fonseca make the dramatic announcement that he was stepping down and retiring from electoral politics. His announcement has triggered a sort of leadership sweepstakes in the PUP where and now the race has begun to see who will replace him. Today we spoke to three persons who might have an interest in the job. Former leader John Briceno told us that he is taking the weekend off with his family, and he will decide next week after the weekend break. Deputy Leader Julius Espat was not so blas. He told us he is considering it because, quote, "the party must have a leader that can unite, and a leader that is bi-lingual, one that can work and give his all, but," he continued, quote, "we cannot have leadership challenge where we come out fighting." He said he is, quote, "very close to making a decision on that" and consulting his allies countrywide. He says he has received calls of encouragement. As for the prospect of a Briceno bid for leadership, he says, quote, "we can't go backwards." One other dark horse prospect for leader says he has also been getting calls. Kareem Musa, the son of Said Musa, and just elected to his first term says he is considering making a run for the leadership as well.

Why Did Saldivar Call Off Cops on Gun Weilding Supporter?
If you were tuned into our "Covad" elections coverage on Wednesday night, you would have seen our footage of John Saldivar's emotional reaction when he learned that he had been re-elected once again in Belmopan. But, since then, a video has gone viral on social media which captures another angle of the emotional announcement. Someone in the celebrating UDP crowd fired a gunshot as a sort of gun salute. That's called "discharging a firearm in public" - a serious gun offence. But, the video captures Saldivar going to the shooter's rescue, and this caused public outrage because it appears that the former Police Minister is forcing on-duty officers to back off someone who just broke the law because he is a UDP supporter. Tonight, we have a closer look at that video for you, and Daniel Ortiz has that story: Daniel Ortiz reporting The video starts with the loud noise and cheers of supporters. Then at the 3rd Second in, you clearly hear the sound of a gunshot. Wherever that happens, the cell phone footage does not pick it up. There is a bit more celebration between Saldivar and his supporters and at the 12 second into the video, a man rushes over with an urgent message. You can't quite make it out clearly what he is saying. He then proceeds to drag Saldivar over to the police, and the photographer gets caught by the wave of people passing by.

PM Gets Ready To Announce New Cabinet
And so it is left to be seen if Saldivar will get another term as police minister when Prime Minister Dean Barrow announces his cabinet on Monday. Reports say that the Prime Minister expects to meet with his new cabinet tomorrow, after making his decisions today.

Stann Creek West, It's Final
On Yesterday's newscast, we told you about how a recount had been underway to determine who has won the elections in Stann Creek West. The first count showed that the UDP's Walter Garbutt had won the election, but two boxes had been overlooked, and when they were counted, the Returning Officer called the elections for the PUP Incumbent Rodwell Ferguson. That 8 vote win will stand, and the UDP appears to have conceded defeat in that constituency - after first indicating that it would go to court. This evening, the Chief Elections Officer told the press what's next: Josephine Tamai, Chief Elections Officer "We got the official results and I will tell you that for the Stann Creek West electoral division, the official result is as follows: Rodwell Stephen Ferguson Jr. of the People's United Party got a total of 3300 votes; Walter Garbutt of the United Democratic Party got a total of 3292 votes and Milton Palacio from the BPP got a total of 48 votes. 35 votes were rejected. So if you look at the difference between the United Democratic Party and the People's United Party, the difference still remains at 8 even after the recount." Daniel Ortiz "Since that is the final results. Have all parties agreed to turn away from whatever challenges they intended to make in the courts?"

Chief Says Election Went Smoothly
So, apart from that situation in Stann Creek West, what is the Chief Elections Officer's opinion of how the elections were conducted? Here's her review: Josephine Tamai, Chief Elections Officer "From our standpoint the election went fairly well - extremely well I would say. Because we had everything in place before the election. On Election Day everybody was familiar with what they are to do. The process was very smooth. The voter turnout was 72.68%. So we know that persons were also willing and able to come out. We did our ads. So we basically had everything in place. So in my opinion it went exceptionally well."

Redistricting And Re Registration Needed
That's pretty much the same thing that the Observers from the OAS had to say yesterday when they presented their report on their assessment of electoral process. They did recommend a re-registration exercise, something which was also a suggestion from the 2012 report by the OAS Observers who oversaw that General Elections. So, why was it not acted upon by the Elections and Boundaries Department before Wednesday's General Elections? Well, the Chief Elections Officer told us that they follow the strict schedule set out by the Constitution which says that the exercise will be due in 2017. "As the law presently stands, the re-registration exercise is due in July of 2017. So plans are in place to have that exercise. The commission has already made it clear that it is something that needs to get done and they are willing to ensure that it gets done. When we are through with the re-registration exercise, that will good indication in terms of the numbers in each of the electoral division. So again, that will be a good time for us to look at the numbers and see where we need to do the re-districting. But again, yes, that is something that the commission has already indicated that we must do."

From Murder To Manslaughter To 12 Years
21 year-old Jason Reyes, the San Pedro resident who was convicted last week Monday of Manslaughter, as an alternative to murder, will spend 12 years in prison for that crime. That's the sentence that Justice Adolph Lucas handed him today in a mitigation hearing. Reyes managed to call 2 character witnesses to testify on his behalf, one of his primary school teachers, and one of his high school teachers. Both of them spoke well of Reyes, and told the court that, apart from this case, he was a person of good character. After consideration, Justice Lucas sentenced him to 12 years in prison. As we reported, he was convicted in a trial without jury. He had been charged with the fatal stabbing of 29 year-old Lionel Pinelo. The evidence in the trial was that on November 5, 2010, Pinelo drove a golf cart to the Rainbow Star Bar, located in the Boca Del Rio Section of the island. That's when someone threw a pint bottle on the top of the cart, which broke. According to the witnesses in the case, that got Pinelo angry, and he approached a group of young men with the intent to fight Jason Reyes.

Election Day Stabbing Between Room-mates, Not Rivals
It was the only report of serious violence on election day in the city, where 25 year old Brandon Allen, was stabbed in the notorious Taylor's Alley. He survived very serious injury in the afternoon attack, and tonight the man police say is responsible for the act has been identified as his roommate, Emmerson Skyers who is no stranger to the court. Skyers appeared before the Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith where he was read a count of attempted murder upon Brandon Allen, one count of dangerous harm and one count of use of deadly means of harm with a knife. Police stress that the violence was not political: Sr. Supt Chester Williams - Commander, Eastern Division Southside "It is a matter between two friends. They are roommates. They are very close associates and you know as normal customary people who are in the same house living together, you cannot tell what is brewing between them and it so happens that they had an argument on that day and the argument lead quickly to a stabbing. The person who did it is in custody and I believe he has been charged and will be taken to court. But I must say that that incident was no way related to the election process. It is separate and apart from the entire election process."

Police Say Knives Are Now Weapons Of Choice
And those two stories you just heard, are a murder and an attempted murder - both with knives. Police say that's emerging as the weapon of choice on Southside Belize - and today they put out a public advisory reminding the public that it is an offence to carry a large knife. Southside commander Chester Williams explained today:.. Sr. Supt Chester Williams - Commander, Eastern Division Southside "The weapon of choice being use is now knives and you would observe that for the past two weeks, almost every day we are sending out reports of someone being stabbed. So the fact that the weapon of choice is now knives, we are just basically telling the members of the public to be aware that you know what the weapon of choice being use in committing crime is now knives and try to refrain from being around persons who have knives and at the same time, to give warning to those who are walking around with knives and let them know, you know there is an offence under the crimes control act or the criminal justice act which prohibits the carrying of knives between 8pm and 5am, where the knife blade is over 3 inches, providing though that you cannot provide a reasonable explanation as to why you are carrying the knife.

Kenroy Remanded
22 year-old Kenroy Willoughby, a resident of Iguana Street Extension in Belize City, is on remand at the Belize Central Prison Tonight. That's because 15 year-old girl has accused him of having sex with her. The minor alleges that in the month of September, Willoughby had intercourse with her, and a doctor confirmed it. The police then arrested and charged Willoughby for the crime of unlawful sexual intercourse. He was arraigned before Magistrate Mendoza where he pleaded not guilty to the offence, but he couldn't be granted bail. The magistrate has remanded him to prison until December 10, 2015. Willoughby has a number of other criminal charges pending before the court.

Election, the Broader View
So, just like that…the 2015 general elections are history. The all consuming event saw millions of dollars spent, thousands of signs plastered all across the country, hundreds of campaign workers brought into harness, dozens of hours of advertising…all for the election of just 29 men and two women. Tonight Jules Vasquez looks at their margins of victory compared to the last election:.. We start off in the North with Corozal Bay: the UDP's Pablo Marin beat out the PUP's Gregorio "Papas" Garcia by 146 votes - almost identical to the 148 votes he beat him by in 2012. In Corozal North UDP Hugo Patt won that seat by 493 votes, better than the 209 he won by in 2012. Moving on to Corozal South East the PUP's Florencio Marin Jr. beat Evan Cowo by 164 votes - a sharp dip in that PUP stronghold, because in 2012, Marin won by 412 votes. In Corozal South West UDP's Dr. Angel Campos unseated the PUP Area representative Ramiro Ramirez by a margin of 219 votes - in the last election Campos ran as an independent and the UDP lost by thirty three votes.

Computer Hardware to Help Justice
The case file - so many times on the news we've heard about it being lost, missing or incomplete, resulting in cases being thrown out of court or dismissed. Well, now there's computer hardware which should bring more order and organization to the judicial system in Belize. Today the Caribbean Network Operators Group handed over a firewall device that will enhance the current database and allow judges and law firms to have direct access to court files and reports. But this is just one component, System Administrator at the Supreme Court of Belize Steven Babb told us more about the benefits. The firewall will be installed before the end of the year. The handing over was part of CARIBNOG's 10th Regional Gathering.

Making Ecology Everyday
20 high school students are back from a 5 day Ecology trip. The students went to Calabash Caye to learn how to dissect a lionfish and how to search for and monitor dolphins among other activities. While for most people these are abstract experiments, the instructor told us today that it's more than just marveling at nature and marine life- it's about learning how and why it's important to protect it. Jaen Nieto, Instructor "The idea is to expose them to the marine environment and through hands on experience, learn about it and raise awareness about it. Because without knowing what surrounding us, the importance of nature, how everything is interconnected, the impact that we have as humans, if we are not aware of that we can't create any change. It's just to raise awareness." Ingrid Acosta, Head of Science Dept. SCA "Our EPI course was as a result of our science fair that we held earlier this year in January. Two of our groups were sponsored by SMART. We had up and down tomato who won the prize. So the rest of the group are made up of 3rd formers who had just finish the ecology unit of the course. So this experience was very rewarding for them and they got to apply what they had learnt in class."

Diabetes Day
Today, the Belize Diabetes Association held a remembrance event for all Belizeans who have died due to the diabetes or any of its complications. It's a non-communicable disease which continues to afflict 50,000 Belizeans right now, and so, the Association took the opportunity to hold an education session at its Belize City office on Central American Boulevard. Our News team stopped by to see how it was going, and here's what the coordinators had to say: The association continues its awareness campaign with it's "Ride Out Diabetes Fundraiser". Participants will go on a riding tour from Corozal to Belize City, where they will finish off at the ITVET Compound. Then, the ride goes west to Santa Elena Town, where participants will ride from that location to Belize City, where they will once again end off at ITVET.

Cops Accountable
Today we met up with the southside police formation in the Jane Usher Boulevard Area. Now, they have been here time and time again - and we wanted to know if it's about profiling, or if it has a real purpose. Southside Commander Senior Superintendent Chester Williams told us they came for a report card:... Sr. Supt Chester Williams - Commander, Eastern Division Southside "We are also getting back from them our report card, in terms of whether or not they are satisfied with the work that we have been doing on the Southside Belize City and I must say that the feedback so far is that the residents are saying that comparing to when we first came to now, that they are seeing a downward trend in the criminal activities in this Jane Usher Boulevard area. One of the things that people have been saying is that what police use to do before was to when the crime go out of control, they step in the area, they calm it down and they step out back and then crime come back out of control again.

Marla's Tough Situation
Ladyville mother Marla Encalada is going through a very tough stretch. Her two daughters were knocked down in Ladyville - one of them, a 6 year old broke both sides of her pelvis - and received massive injury to her genitals. The child was operated on at KHMH, but the family claims the operation on the child's genitals was botched, and she was left in a bad way. She was transferred to the Belize Medical Associates - where the media spoke to her yesterday, off camera:... Voice of: Marla Encalada, mother "We rush here to a surgery to do over the same surgery that Karl Heusner Hospital did for her, so that they give her a stool bag. She is a state that she cannot move. She has a steel in her knee to bring back the pelvis together. It's very messed up for me. I don't have any assistance anywhere. Yet the government don't want to see me to know the critical condition that my kids are in. If you go in there to see the pain that my kids are in, not even you can stand to be in the room."

Channel 5

Rodwell Ferguson Declared Winner after Recount
After a hard fought battle for a seat in Stann Creek West, People's United Party candidate Rodwell Ferguson has been re-elected as its two-term area representative.  That announcement was made [...]

Teacher Wally Gracious in Defeat
Indeed, jumping the gun to declare victory prior to an official confirmation has proven quite embarrassing for the political greenhorn.  But Garbutt maintains full composure, posting on his Facebook page [...]

Defining Mayan Land Rights is one of GOB's Priorities
Coverage of the 2015 General Election - pre, during and after, has been comprehensive and for the sake of our certainly fatigued viewers, we're hoping that this is where it [...]

Wilfred Elrington Says Electors Have Green-lighted going to the ICJ
Wilfred Elrington, who finished the term prior to elections as Minister of Foreign Affairs, was one of the winners in the closely contested Pickstock division. Elrington won by seventy-eight votes [...]

Key Player in Multi-Billion $$$ Fraud Scheme Nabbed in San Pedro
On election eve, police in San Pedro made the arrest of a high profile international figure wanted by International Criminal Police Organization who has been residing in the island for [...]

Mother Who Burned Son's Hand Given Suspended Sentence
A single mother of five children, Odette Lambey, who was accused of placing the hand of her five year old son over a flaming stove causing him to sustain second [...]

Mother Seeks Assistance for Daughters Injured in Ladyville RTA
A single mother is desperately seeking assistance after two of her daughters, one six and one nine, were knocked down last week in Ladyville. Currently the girls, one of them [...]

How Many Voters Came Out for General Elections 2015
For the General Election 2015, from a total of one hundred ninety-six thousand five hundred eighty-seven registered voters a total of one hundred forty-two thousand eight hundred eighty-one went to [...]

A Look at the Most Unexpected Results
There were six seats where results were either close, or not entirely expected. We look at those.  In Caribbean Shores, Kareem Musa garnered one thousand one hundred and seventy-seven votes, [...]

PM Barrow Says He Expected Darrell Bradley to Win
On Thursday night we showed you Mayor Darrell Bradley's surprise at being unable to gain control of the Caribbean Shores seat. He, and the U.D.P. higher-ups, believed that Bradley's achievements [...]

Barrow Prepares to Serve His Final Term As Prime Minister
Veteran politicians Anthony 'Boots' Martinez and Michael Finnegan have both indicated that this term is likely their last. It is also the last in which Dean Barrow will serve as [...]

Fonseca Says He is at Peace
Tonight the People's United Party is at a crossroad following the resignation of its leader Francis Fonseca. There are two senior members who are said to be considering the top [...]

New PUP Leader Must Unite the Party, Says Fonseca
Fonseca implores his successor, whomever that individual will be, to keep the party united, acknowledging that only the U.D.P. benefits from their discord.   Francis Fonseca, Leader, People's United Party [...]

Mexico Congratulate the New Government of Belize
The Mexican government has sent a congratulatory message to Prime Minister Dean Barrow and the people of Belize for the peaceful elections held on November fourth which were observed by [...]

Wilfred Elrington Says He Won Because Politics is Local
Earlier in our newscast we showed you Wilfred Elrington's conviction that the election result is a green light to the ICJ. That remains to be seen, but based on the [...]

B.P.D. Meet & Greet Initiative in Northside Belize City
The police were on the beat this afternoon in both the North and South side of the City. Community policing has become a main strategy for the Police Department's efforts [...]

LOVE FM

Mexico Congratulates Prime Minister Barrow on Elections
An online publication from Reuters News Agency reported that in an interview yesterday with the Prime Minister Dean Barrow, it was mentioned that the recently elected President of Guatemala, Carlos Morales, had not extended any congratulatory note to him on his victory at the polls on Wednesday. Guatemala is one of Belize's border countries and […]

Belize's Courts Improve on Data Security via CARIBNOG Donation
Caribbean Network Operators Group (CaribNOG) has donated a firewall device to Belize's Judiciary that will enable the courts to have secure access to their database. This firewall will allow judges to safely access files from anywhere either in Belize or abroad. The Supreme Court of Belize, will be able to share data between other courts […]

PlusTV

OAS commends Belize for peaceful elections, has recommendations
The thirteen observers attached to the election observation mission from the Organization of American States (OAS) have preliminarily declared the 2015 general election in Belize "peaceful and successful," and said that the work of electoral authorities in the lead up to Wednesday resul...

What next for Maya land rights?
A major priority for the new Barrow Administration is the enforcement of the Caribbean Court of Justice's decision on Maya land rights in the Toledo District. While the Prime Minister believes it had no impact on the elections, it is still important for him to get the matter right before next ...

Did deliberate voter transfers play role in election result
Voter transfers in July and August of each calendar year are an important barometer for the development of a candidate's electability as it represents an opportunity to connect with voters. In addition, candidates often take advantage of new citizens by promising assistance in return for their...

Friend is accused of stabbing his own roommate
We told you yesterday of an early morning shooting incident on Election Day Wednesday, for which one person was arrested and charged. Later in the day, there was another incident of violence involving two young men well known to authorities. On Wednesday, November 4, 2015, 25 year old Brandon Allen,...

Belize City mom avoids jail over harm to child]
A single mother of five children including three teenagers from Belize City will avoid jail on a charge of grievous harm as long as she continues to get counseling for her family and personal problems. Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith ordered a suspended sentence of nine months' imprisonment f...

Jason Reyes given twelve years for manslaughter
21 year old Jason Reyes, found guilty of manslaughter in the death of Lionel Pinelo in 2010, was today sentenced to 12 years in prison for the crime by Supreme Court Justice Adolph Lucas. Reyes was accused of the November 5, 2010 stabbing murder of Pinelo during an altercation on Ambergris Caye, out...

Benque bus driver freed of sex charges
A jury of 8 women and one man today found 38 year old bus driver and supervisor Felipe Kotch of Benque Viejo Town not guilty of two counts of unlawful carnal knowledge. The jurors returned this evening with the verdict after deliberating since 1:40 this afternoon in the court of Justice Adolph Luca...

Amandala

Red tide: UDP 19, PUP 12!
Following an unprecedented three-peat at the polls on Wednesday, November 4, 2015, the United Democratic Party's leader, Hon. Dean Oliver Barrow, was historically sworn in for a third consecutive term of office by Governor-General Sir Colville Young this afternoon in the nation's capital of Belmopan. "We are ready to give our all one more time…," Barrow said a mid-morning press conference held in Belize City. "We will do our absolute best to deliver comprehensively and to serve ALL the people of this country," he added. After a rare recount of Stann Creek West votes this afternoon, Barrow's party, the UDP, emerged with 19 seats, while the Opposition People's United Party (PUP) snagged its twelfth seat in the election, called almost two years before its due date. Shortly after that recount started, the PUP publicly announced that former Opposition Leader Francis Fonseca, who won a decisive victory for the PUP in the Freetown division, would be stepping away to make way for a new party leader. Fonseca had held on to the leadership position since 2011, but the party has not won any of the elections under his leadership. The PUP walked away with 14 seats in the 2012 general election, and that figure was down to 12 for these elections - even amid proclamations from inside the PUP camp that their party would win in excess of 20 seats.

Cordel Hyde trounces Mark King with record high votes in Lake I
After a temporary departure from the political scene in 2012, Lake Independence's three-term area representative, Hon. Cordel Hyde, will be back in Parliament after having delivered a crushing defeat to Mark King of the United Democratic Party, who in August had threatened to "get rid" of Hyde, his father and brother as well as their family business - Kremandala. When voters went to the polls this March for the 2015 municipal elections, Cordel had delivered more blue votes for his party than the red votes which King delivered for his, signaling that Hyde was stronger in Lake I than King. That was proven on Wednesday, November 4, when 4,368 voters (69% of registered electors) went to the polls and Hyde was elected to his fourth term of office with the widest margin ever for a Lake I contender. Hyde said, it's been a while but he is looking forward to representing the people of Lake I in Parliament. As for the key to his latest victory, Hyde says that it's as simple as keeping it real.

PUP Leader, Hon. Francis Fonseca, steps down
In the wake of its crushing defeat at the polls in yesterday's general elections, the Leader of the Opposition People's United Party (PUP), Hon. Francis Fonseca, who successfully defended his Freetown constituency seat with his resounding defeat of the United Democratic Party (UDP) candidate Dr. Carla Barnett, announced this afternoon that he is stepping down as PUP Leader, and that after serving out his term as area representative in the House of Representatives for the Freetown constituency, he will retire from electoral politics. Fonseca made the announcement at the party's Independence Hall headquarters, in the presence of several PUP standard bearers who ran in yesterday's elections. Before making the announcement in the hall, where the mood was somber, Fonseca said that many of the PUP standard bearers have called him to say that "they are of course very tired and very disappointed and apologized for not being here this afternoon." "[I'm] certainly glad that some of our standard bearers have been able to make it here to join me this afternoon," he then commented.

Orange Walk awash in a sea of red and blue
The Orange Walk District has four electoral constituencies and today, all the political colors were out in their fullest force, but the predominant colors dominating the landscape were those of the two major political parties, the incumbent United Democratic Party (UDP) and the Opposition People's United Party (PUP). Evidence of the newly formed Belize Progressive Party (BPP) could be seen at a few spots. The war for Orange Walk was intense. Supporters of the two parties clashed violently in the days leading up to the general elections, when UDP and PUP supporters wrangled with each other over the messages that were contained on their parties' signs in San Jose, in the Orange Walk North constituency. Today, about half an hour before the polls closed, there were more clashes between supporters of the UDP and the PUP in the Orange Walk North constituency at the Trial Farm Government School, which was serving as a polling area.

Murder in San Ignacio
Darwin Guerrero, 25, a laborer of San Ignacio, died after he was shot five times by a man he knew who fired the shots from an ATV on a road in San Ignacio. Guerero was rushed to the San Ignacio Hospital, but was declared dead on arrival. The shooting occurred at about 8:45 yesterday morning on Bella Vista Street. Police found five expended shells and a pool of blood at the scene. According to police, Guerero was doing construction work on Bella Vista Street when a gunman, who was not wearing a mask and was identified by many of the workers who were present, approached Guerero in an ATV and shot him five times.

What "Confidence-Building Measures," Belize?
In the wake of the Belize Territorial Volunteers' expedition to Sarstoon Island on Sunday, August 16, 2015, when unarmed Belizean civilians were aggressed by Guatemalan Navy boats, Prime Minister Dean Barrow held a press conference and told the nation that the BDF has been under constant threat from the Guatemalan military. Indeed, our BDF are routinely challenged by the Guatemalans and frequently told to turn back. Our soldiers never retreat and are never deterred by these standoffs. They always complete their mission, even when under threat. The Prime Minister, however, did not say exactly when these threats had started, nor did he say how long the Guatemalan military has been asserting control over the Sarstoon River. For an extended period, the Government of Belize has been content to play by the rules of the Organization of American States-brokered, so-called "Confidence Building Measures," and has refused to take the necessary diplomatic offensive to protect and defend Belize's sovereignty.

Editorial: Belize's victory
First, of course, this newspaper congratulates the United Democratic Party (UDP) and Prime Minister Dean Barrow for a noteworthy feat unprecedented in the post-independence political era in Belize - a third consecutive term of office. On Wednesday, November 4, 2015, the Belizean people felt they had no choice, and they spoke clearly and decisively. The UDP won 19 seats, and the Opposition People's United Party (PUP) won 12. Late Wednesday night, our sources informed that there were recounts taking place in Cayo North East (PUP), Stann Creek West (UDP), and Corozal South East (PUP), where the margins of victory were considered relatively narrow. The recounts, however, could not possibly affect the overall result. Incidentally, there were other narrow margins of victory in Toledo East (PUP), Belize Rural Central (UDP), Port Loyola (UDP), Pickstock (UDP), and Caribbean Shores (PUP). As nationalistic Belizeans, we felt that the five-week-long campaign and the conduct of the election day voting and election night counting of the votes were massive victories for the young nation-state of Belize. The public officers, the police, the army, and the people of Belize must be congratulated. Big time. We have no evidence of any violence having to do with the campaign, the voting, and the counting. In Belize, we began to take our peaceful elections for granted a long time ago, but this one, especially, cannot be taken for granted, because Belize is a more violent society than it has ever been and there are more firearms around, both legal and illegal, than there have ever been.

Election 2015: Stann Creek and Toledo Districts
In the General Elections 2015, in the Stann Creek District division, which includes Dangriga, Sarawee and Hope Creek in the Stann Creek District, the incumbent, Frank "Pawpa" Mena of the UDP, was reelected, after besting Anthony Sabal of the PUP by 336 votes. Frank "Pawpa" Mena won with 52.86% of the votes (2,360), while Anthony Sabal received 45.33% of the votes (2,024) and Anthony Petillo of the BPP received 0.90% of the votes (40). In the Stann Creek West constituency, however, a recount is to be carried out today to determine the winner after controversy erupted over the counting of the last two ballot boxes. The division was contested by Walter Garbutt (UDP), Rodwell Ferguson (PUP), and Milton Palacio (Belize Progressive Party). Reports are that Garbutt had been told that he had won the division and was celebrating when he was informed that in fact, two final boxes had not been counted. When the counting was over, the report is, Garbutt had lost by 8 votes. He demanded a recount, which is to begin at 2 p.m. today, Thursday, and is covered separately in this issue of the newspaper.

In Cayo, UDP 4, PUP 2
Our Belizean flag is blue and red in color, and at its center is the coat of arms that identifies us and brings us together as a nation; however, on November 4, when the general elections were held, we were a country divided by colors and the parties those colors represent. The Cayo District is divided into the following electoral divisions: Belmopan, Cayo North, Cayo Central, Cayo West, Cayo South and Cayo North East. The Cayo North constituency was created around the time of the 1961 general election as a result of a nationwide redistricting, and 6,940 registered voters are in this division. The UDP standard bearer in this constituency for this year's general election was Omar Figueroa, who had won a bye-election on January 5, 2015 over his opponent, Richard Harrison, and the PUP candidate was Michel Chebat. Figueroa told Amandala he believed that 65% of the registered voters would be voting for him. "The election is about the people, what they want, what their needs are and who can really represent them," he said. Cayo Central - which consists of Santa Elena, Georgeville, Buena Vista, San Ignacio and Cristo Rey - holds one of 10 seats created for the 1984 general elections. Daniel Silva became the PUP standard bearer for the constituency after winning a PUP convention on April 27, 2014, over Luke Espat.

The Reporter

Elvin Penner mixed up in land-grab scandal?
Three documents from the Lands Department have surfaced showing disgraced former Minister Elvin Penner and his parents being leased and sold acres of land for a fraction of the market value. The documents show land in the Mountain Pine Ridge area and one on […]

PUP vs Elections Chief
A number of exchanges between the People’s United Party (PUP) and the Chief Elections Officer Josephine Tamai last week, resulted in the Party requesting more time to review the proxy register and a demand that it be made available for scrutiny to all parties. […]

Belizean entrepreneur honored with two regional awards
Belizean entrepreneur, Crystal Samos, founder of the Carpe Diem line of skin care products, was honored this week with two prestigious awards from the Caribbean Center of Excellence for Sustainable Livelihoods (COESL). Samos represented Belize at the 2015 CARICOM sustainable development through entrepreneurship seminar, held […]

UDP using BATSUB to lull the people, says BPP
The Belize Progressive Party (BPP) has accused the United Democratic Party (UDP) government of misleading Belizeans, offering a false sense of security with the return of British Troops. The BPP, in a press release this week, reacted to the statements made by Guatemala's President-Elect Jimmy Morales and the timing of […]

5 yr-old boy shot by men wearing halloween masks
Five-year-old Elvis Godoy Jr., along with his father, Elvis Godoy Sr. and his uncle, Jose Godoy are currently interned at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) after an armed raid on Halloween night. According to Jose Godoy, his brother and other men were socializing outside […]

Woman loses her sight due to domestic dispute
Kyle Perez, a resident of the Salt Creek Area, in Sand Hill Village is on remand after he was found guilty of maim and damage to property. Perez was unrepresented when he appeared before Magistrate Ladonna John, where he faced two charges, one count of […]

Boyfriend remanded to jail for having sex with teen
A teenager accused of having a sexual relationship with a foster child from a child care centre in the city, is on remand at the Belize Central Prison after he was denied bail for the offense of sexual assault. He is 19 year-old Guillermo Silva, […]

General Overview & Institutional Strengthening for Belize Tax Administration
EDC: Trade and Tax Regime being reviewed As was pointed out in last week's EDC "Strictly Business", the need for the tax system to be modified so as to reduce the cost of doing business in Belize and simplify the business process has been raised by the private sector on […]

Where are the women?
Out of 88 candidates who ran for elections on November 4th, only 11 were women. The low number of female representation in goverment is a global trend, which is slow in changing. Yet Belizean women continue to fight for fair representation in government, facing considerable […]

Canefield workers found in possession of 13 fake residency certificates
Two Corozal residents were caught in Belize City on Tuesday in possession of 13 certificates of registration for (Belizean) citizenship. Upon closer scrutiny they turned out to be fake and both men, Marcus Vasco, 40 and Mark Rosalez, 29 of San Pedro Village were […]

Document proves extended Guatemalan aggression
A recently "leaked" document written by a senior officer in the Belize Defense Force to the former Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of National Security Colonel George Lovell, shows that aggression and confrontation from Guatemalan military personnel in the Sarstoon River has been going […]

'Superbond' sinks; what does it mean for Belize?
Bloomberg Business published an article as Belizeans voted on election day, indicating that Belize's 'Superbond' sank its lowest since 2013, according to JP Morgan Chase and Company's Emerging Market Bond Index (EMBI). The 'yield' on the Superbond rose to 10 percent at 2:50 p.m. Tuesday […]

OAS presents preliminary election findings
The Organization of American States (OAS) Electoral Observer Mission (EOM), on Thursday afternoon, presented its preliminary findings of its mission to Belize, highlighting areas of concern and making several recommendations to improve electoral efficiency and transparency. EOM Chief of Mission Jacinth Henry Martin, congratulated […]

Editorial
Election results in Belize this week were unprecedented and impressive, giving the UDP a third 5-year term. But two of the brightest stars in the UDP firmament, Dr. Carla Barnett and City Mayor Darrel Bradley were brought low, Barnett by PUP Leader Francis Fonseca, who won by 428 votes in […]

Triple victory for UDP!
The United Democratic Party (UDP) won a historically unprecedented third consecutive term by securing 19 seats in the General Elections held on Wednesday, November 4. The PUP has asked for a recount in Stann Creek West, where the newcomer UDP candidate Walter Garbutt appeared […]

Deathblow for Francis
Francis Fonseca, Leader of the People's United Party (PUP), announced this week that he will be stepping down as leader of the party. Fonseca made the announcement at the PUP headquarters on Thursday, after the party lost the November 4th General Elections, making it their […]

Breaking Belize News

National Volleyball Championships kick off
This year's high school volleyball nationals, hosted in the Toledo District, started this afternoon at 3:00 with female matches being played all through the evening up until around 6:00, after which the males got their chance to perform for the hundreds of fans. The games are being hosted […]

Wanted American pleads guilty to forgery charge
A Mexican American living in San Pedro Town who is alleged to be linked to the Allen Stanford Ponzi scheme uncovered several years ago was brought to court today on a charge of uttering a forged document, to wit a Belizean driver's license SP-2269. 46 year old David Miguel Schnitzer, […]

Benque bus driver freed of sex charges
A jury of 8 women and one man today found 38 year old bus driver and supervisor Felipe Kotch of Benque Viejo Town not guilty of two counts of unlawful carnal knowledge. The jurors returned this evening with the verdict after deliberating since 1:40 this afternoon in the court of Justice […]

Jason Reyes given twelve years for manslaughter
21 year old Jason Reyes, found guilty of manslaughter in the death of Lionel Pinelo in 2010, was today sentenced to 12 years in prison for the crime by Supreme Court Justice Adolph Lucas. Reyes was accused of the November 5, 2010 stabbing murder of Pinelo during an […]

Attack victim clings to life, police seek attacker
The mother of 24 year old Kevin Salazar, who remains in critical condition at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH), is pleading to the public in locating her son's attacker. According to Maritza Gonzalez, she flew from the US on Monday to be by her son's side at the […]

Friend is accused of stabbing his own roommate
We told you yesterday of an early morning shooting incident on Election Day Wednesday, for which one person was arrested and charged. Later in the day there was another incident of violence involving two young men well known to authorities. On Wednesday, November 4, 2015, Brandon Allen, 25, […]

City mom avoids jail over harm to child
A single mother of five children including three teenagers from Belize City will avoid jail on a charge of grievous harm as long as she continues to get counseling for her family and personal problems. Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith ordered a suspended sentence of nine months' imprisonment […]

18 year old shot in the city
Belize City police visited the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) at around 2:35 on Wednesday morning and saw 18 year old Trevor Yard Jr. of Kelly Street, Belize City, with a gunshot wound to the left upper side of the groin area. Yard told police that about 15 minutes earlier, […]

Police bust gun on election day
Two Dangriga men were arrested and charged on Election Day for the offense of "Kept firearm and ammunition without a gun license", after police recovered a firearm that was in their possession. Around 6:45 on Wednesday evening, officers in a police mobile spotted 20 year old Emmai Krammer Valerio and […]

Ferguson wins in recount
With General Election polls closing at 6:00 on Wednesday evening, by midnight most official results were announced and showed a large margin of victory for the first government to win three consecutive terms in Belizean history, the United Democratic Party (UDP). One constituency though, had trouble figuring out […]

OAS submits election report
The Organization of American States (OAS) Mission that observed the November 4th General Elections have submitted its report. According to an article posted on the Caribbean News website, members from the OAS that observed the electoral process on Wednesday noted, "that the civic spirit of the people shown in a peaceful and […]

Blogs

A Sneak Peak at Ambergris Caye's "Truck Stop": Food, Drink and Lots More
The road north has become a main way of transportation. Yes, it was always used by some residents of north Ambergris Caye and as an adventure for tourists headed that way on golf carts…but bring some rains and it turned into a mogulled, muddy slow moving mess. Many took boats or the Coastal Express water taxi to destinations north. Now paved, it's a thoroughfare…and businesses are starting to pop-up. There is one in particular that I am VERY excited about. The Truck Stop. An amazingly clever use of a gorgeous lagoon side property just west of the new road…but then the owners, Ben and Joanna, owners of Island Films as well, have always been pretty clever people. Here was our first look at the project…with an invite to Troy Aikman to celebrate his birthday, November 21st, at the Grand Opening!

Most Unique New Souvenir in Town, Flowers and Brick oven Pizza at Banana Beach
I recently caught up with Dianne at her office AKA Carlos and Ernies Runway Bar to check out her cool new fingernail tattoo's by Angel at Artistic Skin Designs. Getting a fingernail tattoo is a great option for someone who does not want permenant ink on their body or the pain that can sometimes come with getting inked. It is also the perfect unique new vacation souvenier. Artistic Skin Designs is located on Buckaneer St in town. Shop Hours are Monday - Saturday: 12:00pm - 10:00pm Sunday: 12:00pm -8:00pm. Shop observes holiday hours when aplicable so call to make sure they are open 226-4261 El Divino Restaurant at Banana Beach Resort is now doing brick oven pizza's. Everynight except Monday they get the bricks hot around 4:30 - 5:30. In addition to lobster and meatlovers, they also have Cheese, Supreme, Pepperoni and Hawaiian. To give you an idea on pricing, Our half/half was $37.50 with meatlovers being $35 and the lobster at $40 - pricing in Belize dollars.

Top things to do in Belize City
Don't let anybody tell you that Belize begins and ends with outlying islands running up and down the mainland coast! Belize City has its charms and there's plenty to do, so instead of speeding to and from the Belize International Airport, do yourself a favor and make plans to stick around to see this city's architectural, cultural and zoological treasures. We recommend the following 10 sites since they will introduce you to the very heart of the city by the sea that is so important, it takes its name from the nation! 1. No praying required at St. John's Cathedral, built around 1812 by slaves brought from Africa by Europeans, but do visit for the history and beauty. 2. Visit the Tourism Village carved out along the Belize City harbor on Fort Street for an overview of what to see, do and experience while exploring Belize City and islands beyond the mainland. 3. If you've always wanted to see what a jail looks like, the Museum of Belize (MOB), located at 8 Gabourel Lane within the Central Bank Compound, offers that experience while giving you ample opportunity to admire the work of some of Belize's most talented artists and artisans. 4. San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge is iconic. So is New York City's Brooklyn Bridge. Wander over to Belize's version of these landmarks: the Swing Bridge over Haulover Creek that separates north from south Belize City.

Texas Roadhouse Honey Butter
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, very softened 1 cup powdered sugar... 1 cup honey 2 tsp. cinnamon Add everything in the order listed, whipping well. Oh Yum! We know to use this on rolls and bread but it also tastes great on: oatmeal pancakes French toast hot rice cereal pumpkin bread zucchini bread

Eating Well On Ambergris Caye in Belize
At first glance one might think a tropical island where food stalls line sandy roads, pastries are sold from a man on a bicycle, and a fruit vendor delivers produce via golf cart would not offer experiential upscale dining. Don't be fooled. Behind the lazy carefree exterior of Ambergris Caye in Belize lies enough fine cuisine to satisfy the taste buds of even the pickiest critic - especially those looking for experiential culinary options. 1. Cook With Volcanic Stone At Pineapples, 2. A Meal For A Cause At Blue Water Grill, 3. Aerial Ocean Views At Rain Restaurant & Rooftop Terrace, 4. Art Meets Themed Meals At Casa Picasso, 5. A Seasonal Chef's Table at Pirate's Treasure.

Exploring Firsts in Placencia Belize
I watched her expressions as she dipped a toe in the ocean for the first time in her life. As an aunt I may not get to see their first steps or hear their first words, but this was one first that I was there for - and I soaked in every delicious moment of it. Placencia isn't exactly off the tourist trail, but it's the 'less touristed' trail for sure. As everyone heads to Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker, Allie and I went south to Placencia, a peninsula where they have 16 miles of sandy beach to relax on. As we turned onto the road to the peninsula Allie's eyes were focused on the horizon, as this would be the first time she would see the ocean. And strangely, we were both excited about it. We asked locals where to eat and soon we had a big list of places to try. Omar' s Creole Grub was recommended heavily as great local seafood without frills. It was just a simple little open-air dining area, completely casual; a different feel from some of the more touristy places in the town. You simply pick a seafood from their board of fresh catches and choose a sauce - no menu necessary. I asked for their freshest fish (caught that afternoon) and chose the Creole sauce. After ordering I saw a guy emerge from the kitchen, hop on a bike, and peddle off. Within 5 minutes he was back with a bag from the grocery store and the needed ingredients for our dinner. I love small towns and just-in-time cooking.

International Sources

The Preliminary Report by the OAS Electoral Observation Mission on Belize General Elections, which were held on November 4, 2015
The Electoral Observation Mission of the Organization of American States (EOM/OAS) deployed to the general elections in Belize congratulates the people of the country on the high degree of civic spirit shown in a peaceful and successful election day. The Mission fielded 13 observers from 11 countries who observed electoral processes in all 6 administrative regions of the country during the November 4 elections. Observers visited a total of 162 of the country's 225 polling booths in 30 of the 31 constituencies on election day, or 72%. The following preliminary observations are based on the direct observations of the OAS team, as well as on meetings with electoral authorities, a cross- section of government officials, political parties, media, civil society organizations, and religious bodies, among others. The OAS/EOM notes the significant preparations made by Belize's Electoral Authorities ahead of the election to develop procedures and systems that generated a generally inclusive and clean electoral process. The Mission further notes that this was the fourth electoral process held in Belize in 2015. The OAS Mission was pleased to note the continued high levels of participation by women in most areas of the political process. However, despite an increase in the number of female candidates, there remained, a significantly low ratio of female to male candidates contesting the election - 11 women in a pool of 88 candidates or 12.5%. In a similar vein, the Mission commended the involvement of youth in the campaign, but noted that this trend evidenced itself in large measure in the use of social media, and did not translate into significant levels of participation in the electoral competition.

Dave Graybill: The Fishin' Magician
As many of you know, my wife Eileen and I have traveled to Belize many times and have hosted trips to Ambergris Caye. The people that have come on these trips have enjoyed amazing fishing for tarpon, permit, bonefish, barracuda and other species. Everyone has loved the resort, which will prepare your catch and deliver it to your room, and the family that provides the guide service has been terrific. I just got the schedule for another trip in May. If you have ever wanted to experience the fishing, snorkeling and just plain relaxing fun that Ambergris Caye in Belize offers you will want to come along.

Discover Belize's richness in nature and culture
For Perry Bodden, digital marketing officer of the Belize Tourism Board (BTB), Belize is a country "where you must go once in your life, but where the experience is so indescribable that you just have to find out for yourself." Speaking passionately with a sparkle in his eye, he described the hospitality of the Belizean people and the magnificent nature that the only English-speaking country in the Central American region has to offer. Speaking on the first day of the Taipei ITF, Bodden, and Deborah Gilharry, senior travel and trade officer of the BTB, described some of the country's highlights: Facing the Caribbean Sea in the east, bordering Mexico to the north and Guatemala to the west and south, Belize has the advantage of hosting an abundant diversity of terrestrial and marine species in its various ecosystems as it sits in the center of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor. "It is a small country, but with great nature and landscapes, which is a very attractive prospect for wildlife lovers who are up for outdoor activities as you can make the trip from the inland to the sea in a day," said Deborah.

SAVE THE FROGS!
Belize is a wonderful little country located east of Guatemala and nestled beneath the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico. Like many countries in Central America, Belize is a hotspot of biodiversity. Belize is home to at least 37 amphibian species, as well as an array of bats, birds, lizards, corals and other amazing wildlife. The trip will be led by SAVE THE FROGS! Ecologist Michael Starkey, who has participated in, coordinated and led ecotours to Belize and Costa Rica for 5 years! We will also be accompanied by SAVE THE FROGS! Ecologist Kathlyn Franco, and Mayan naturalists and field guides. Group size is between 10 and 20 participants. Our SAVE THE FROGS! 2013 Ecotour, 2014 Ecotour, and 2015 Eco-tour were huge successes and we fully expect 2016 to be just as amazing. Please contact us if you want to join our 2016 SAVE THE FROGS! Eco-tour and have the time of your life!

Videos

Lydiane autour du monde - Arrivée au Belize - Épisode complet, 45min.

Craig & Melissa Belize Wedding Film, 4.5min. Destination wedding film by Jose Luis Zapata at Las Terrazas Resort in North Ambergris Caye, Belize.

MEXIQUE-BELIZE, 31min.

Happy Yoga In Belize 2015, 4min.

Morning Matters with Mrs. Moore, 58min.

Morning Matters @ Mikado's Store, 58min.

Morning Matters of the Day, 61min.

Gallo Pinto (Stew Chicken Dub) - Costa Rica/Belize 2015, 11min.

The HFC Experience, 4min. Hardcore Fishing Charters (HFC) in Placencia, Belize offers world class angling both for the extreme sports fisherman and novice alike. HFC employs the most experienced captains, state-of-the-art equipment, and knowledgeable land-based staff available on the peninsula. HFC offers a variety of packages that include deep sea fishing, reef fishing, and fly fishing excursions. We also offer a host of exquisite land-based activities, accommodations at our newly constructed HFC Lodge, as well as gear rentals and sales. Hardcore Fishing Charters (HFC) blends modern equipment and technology with local charm and practices to offer our guests the ultimate Belizean fishing experience. The waters off the coast of Belize are some of the most beautiful (and bountiful) in the world. Whether lolling on the bow of our 32' Cape Horn - nicknamed "The Pelagic" - for a day, or fighting Tuna, Grouper and the mighty Marlin for a week at sea is your cup of tea, HFC is ready to abide. Note: HFC employs only the most experienced (and licensed) captains and crews, uses state-of-the-art (and traditional) technologies, and provides in a fun, yet professional, atmosphere to ensure a world-class Belizean excursion for each and every guest.

Freya (Trailer), 1min. Discovered floating off the coast of Belize, an endangered sea turtle, struggles to survive a serious shark attack.

Top Caribbean Medical School in Belize WUHS, 3min. The WUHS (Belize) was among the first of a growing number of International caribbean medical schools to adopt a competency-based curriculum, one that provides students with excellent clinical training balanced by the development of strong interpersonal and professional skills

The yellow-heads always have to have the last word of the evening., 1min. It's at this time of night that you realise how crazy these birds have become at the hands of humans. It also makes you realise that anyone attempting to turn these back into wild birds needs lots of patience, ingenuity, deep pockets, and just a little touch of crazy themselves!