PRESS RELEASE GOB Cruise Ship Passenger Quarantined Belmopan. October 16, 2014.

The Government of Belize was contacted on October 16th by the officers of the US Government and made aware of a cruise ship passenger considered of very low risk for Ebola. The passenger had voluntarily entered quarantine on board the ship and remains free of any fever or other symptoms of illness. The Ebola virus may only be spread by patients who are experiencing fever and symptoms of illness and so the US Government had emphasized the very low risk category in this case. Nonetheless, out of an abundance of caution, the Government of Belize decided not to facilitate a US request for assistance in evacuating the passenger through the Phillip Goldson International Airport.The GOB reassures the public that the passenger never set foot in Belize and while we remain in close contact with US officials we have maintained the position that when even the smallest doubt remains, we will ensure the health and safety of the Belizean people. The Prime Minister has called a press conference tomorrow morning to further address any concerns that may arise from this event.

Caribbean Tourism Organization - Belize Tourism Growth Accelerates to Record Pace

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Belize is experiencing an unparalleled explosion in tourism. The majority of the tourism growth in Belize appears to be concentrated in the coastal areas, primarily along the Caribbean in the Stann Creek District.

"I've never seen anything like this in my years in the space" offers Matthew McDonagh, Senior Vice President of The Placencia Group.

The latest tourism growth statistics have just been released by the Caribbean Tourism Organization. A number of figures standout from the July 18, 2014 release.

From January through June of 2014 Belize saw an 11.8% increase (year over year) in tourist arrivals. Many of the 185,996 passengers flew onto Placencia Belize to enjoy the resort destination while going fly fishing and other sea/land-based activities.

Cruise ship passenger traffic increased by 36.9% from 2013-2014 into Belize.
April alone saw a 23% increase in tourist arrivals into Belize City. To put this figure into context the average increase in April across all of the other nations listed in the CTO's release was less than 11%.

The other nations included in the analysis are: Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cozumel Mexico, Curacao, Dominican Replublic, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Puerto Rico and Saint Lucia.

The majority of the tourism growth in Belize appears to be concentrated in the coastal areas, primarily along the Caribbean in the Stann Creek District.

The Maya Leaders met with Prime Minister Dean Barrow

 Spokepersons of the Maya Leaders Alliance and the Toledo Alcalde’s Association met late last month with Prime Minister Dean Barrow inside his office in Belmopan. 
During the meeting, their where discussion on  focusing on issues where maya people are affected on the south and in particular the subject of drilling for oil in the Sastoon Temash National Park.

According to a statement put out by the Maya Leaders Alliance, the chiefs in Charged mentioned to the Prime Minister that they are in the process of developing a proposal on a framework for Approval agreements on oil exploration as well as the extraction of other materials from traditional Maya lands. "They joint statement issued after the meeting with the Prime Minister by the groups from the south," said that the proactive readiness  by the Maya people manifests their commitment to constructive exploration based on respect and good faith engagements in the involving of the people, government and extracting companies.

The Maya leaders say they were encouraged by the new commitment from the Prime Minister and applaud the opportunity for respectful dialogue that took place, designed to reach an amicable solution to differences.

The Maya Leaders Alliance has committed to continue working with the government to ensure that the Maya people are fully engages in every decision made which affects them in one way or the other as it relates to the natural resources.

Pre- History of Corozal, Belize

Corozal Town is a town in the nation of Belize, capital of Corozal District. Corozal Town is located about 84 miles north of Belize City, and 9 miles from the border with Mexico. The population of Corozal Town, according to the main results of the 2010 census, is 9,871. Corozal was a private estate before becoming a town in the 1840s, mostly settled by Mestizo refugees from the Caste War of Yucatán. Much of the town was built over an ancient Maya city, sometimes known as Santa Rita; this may have been the original Pre-Columbian town called Chetumal. Corozal Town was badly damaged by Hurricane Janet in 1955, and was substantially rebuilt afterwards. 

Corozal, the northmost town in Belize, was founded in 1848 by refugees from the Maya Indian uprising against the Spanish in neighboring Yucatán. This uprising, known as the War of the Castes (from the Spanish "castas" or race), began as a war against the Spaniards, but it eventually became a war against the Mestizos. The Mestizos, half Spanish and half Indian, had proved to be formidable allies of the Spaniards, and were thus mortal enemies of the Maya Indians.

A massacre at Bacalar, Mexico — a Mestizo stronghold about thirty miles north of Corozal Town — finally led to the exodus of thousands of Mestizos from Bacalar and the surrounding area. Between 1848 and 1856 more than 10,000 refugees crossed the Rio Hondo, the river that now serves as a boundary between Belize and Mexico. These immigrants sought refuge in northern Belize, and increased the population of Corozal Town to 4500. Mr. James Blake, a magistrate, let them settle on lands in the Corozal District and helped them to establish the new crop — sugar cane.

The Mestizo refugees were far from safe in Corozal Town as the Maya Indians from the Mexican base in Santa Cruz Bravo. \today Carrillo Puerto — made several incursions in Corozal Town. In defense, Corozal became a garrison town and Fort Barlee was built here in 1870. Today, the brick corner supports of the fort surround the post office complex of the buildings across from the central town square.

Cerros

The immigrants brought with them Mestizo culture: Spanish and Yucatec Maya language, Catholicism and Maya folklore, the use of alcalde, their family structure and way of life. Soon, there emerged a local replication of the society of the Yucatán within the boundaries of a country ruled by English expatriates.

Across the bay from Corozal Town are the mounds of Cerros, the first Maya coastal trading center. Cerros is considered one of the most important late preclassic Maya sites because it represented the first experiment with kingship in the Maya world. The remains include a number of temples, plazas, ballcourts, canals, and minor structures. The most interesting artifacts so far discovered are the five jade head pendants.

Within Corozal itself can be found another Maya ruin from the fourteenth century AD. Known as Santa Rita, the pyramid site sits atop the remains of a Maya city that dominated the area for more, than 2000 years. Burial sites rich in jewelry and artifacts have recently been unearthed here. Santa Rita was probably part of ancient Chactumal, the Maya capital of the area at the time of the first Spanish attempt to conquer the Yucatec Mayas in the early 16th century. The ruins of Santa Rita is located near the town's Hospital and is surrounded by the villages of San Andres, San Antonio, and Paraiso, by walking distances.

Today, Corozal is home to a growing expatriate community, mostly concentrated in the northern tip of the town at Consejo Shores, and along the seaside in the Copper Bank and Chunox areas. While not part of the traditional tourist circuit, Corozal Town makes a good base for fishing excursions in the calm bay; bird- and wildlife-viewing tours into nearby Shipstern Nature Reserve; shopping trips to neighboring Chetumal, Mexico; and explorations of the aforementioned Mayan ruins. It is one of the most attractive for retires and most locals that enjoy living the relaxing life. It also has the free zone on the Border, Princess Casino, Las Vegas Casino, Schools and stores. 


Consejo is the northernmost population centre of Belize, is at the very tip of Belize facing Chetumal. It is five minutes from Corozal Town to Consejo.  If you stand on the shore at Consejo you can actually see Chetumal city with the naked eye about a mile across the water.  Sartenja is a very attractive for tourists. Sarteneja's fishermen sail on striking handcrafted vessels (called "lighters") as far south as Guatamala and Honduras. The tiny sailboats sometimes transport as many fifteen fishermen as they travel along the coast fishing the barrier reef and the outer atolls for conch, lobster, shrimp, and a variety of finfish species (according to the seasonal regulations). Once the ice supply on board has dwindled, the fishermen sell their catch in Belize City, San Pedro, and Chetumal on the way home. Upon returning to Sarteneja, the boat is immediately prepared for the next voyage. 

CARICOM countries are urged to participate in all meeting funds

(L-R): Ambassador Lorne McDonnough, CDF’s CEO; and Alvin Hillaire, CDF board of directors’ chairman; with Robert Morris, ambassador of Barbados to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), at the recent CDF fourth annual meeting of contributors and development partners held in Barbados

he chief executive officer of the CARICOM Development Fund (CDF), Lorne McDonnough, has urged member states to renew their commitment to the organization for the upcoming second funding cycle despite the difficult economic times.

Addressing the recent fourth meeting of contributors and development partners held in Barbados, McDonnough described the CDF as an example of regional integration at work even as CARICOM member states continue to confront economic and financial challenges.

He noted that in an environment where some CARICOM stakeholders doubt the relevance of the regional movement, the CDF played a positive role through its active support of projects that promote economic and social cohesion and in the final analysis has a positive impact on CARICOM citizens in their daily life.

McDonnough stressed: “We in CARICOM must courageously pursue the goal of integration and, in so doing, ensure that the facilitating mechanisms like the CDF can work effectively to allow for the realization of the gains from trade and that these gains are fairly distributed.”

Noting that only 67.5 percent of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy had so far been fully implemented, he revealed that the strategic plan for the wider region had been approved by CARICOM heads and would focus on an achievable range of priorities, recognizing that resources were finite and that implementation of these priorities was key.

Reflecting on the CDF’s performance during the first funding cycle, McDonnough noted that the fund had approved grants and loans for eight member states amounting to some EC$123.6 or US$ 46.15 and was working with other development partners to leverage its resources.

He added that CDF’s involvement in the financing of the new Argyle International Airport and its partnership with the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) on the Northern Highway Project in Belize were small but significant undertakings in keeping with their remit and demonstrated that as a small treaty-based entity, they can play a vital role in addressing disparities within the integration process.

Belize lagging is behind in Internet Bandwith

On Friday September 26th BTL held its annual general meeting at the Biltmore Best western in Belize City.  The income that the company received of 136 million dollars was on par with last year, but its profits refers were down by 2 million dollars from 21 million to 19.5. Another report on regional bandwidth has been released and it shows Belize lagging at the very bottom of the bandwidth chain.

An internet publication called ICT Pulse has performed what it calls "an update of actual Internet download speeds in 27 Caribbean countries and a comparison with results in May of 2014.

" Using a recognized broadband testing outfit called OOKLA. They compare and rank consumer upload and download speeds worldwide and represents them as a rolling average in Megabits per second over a 30 day period.

For the Caribbean, they found that the slowest average download speeds were recorded in Cuba, at 1.65 Megs, which ranked 185th worldwide, a little above that was Guyana, with 2.30 megs which was 181st worldwide, and then Belize, at 2.64 megs, 174th out of 192 countries in the world.
The fastest download speed in the region was recorded in Curaçao, at 15.94 Megs, followed by the Bahamas at 14.04 megs. The survey also found that the average download speed in Belize decreased slightly in the past four months.

 A response to one of the BTL's representative said that the company is making incremental improvements and the "doubling of speeds in October, quote, "should shift this position considerably."

The new schedule for the new rates will show that the new minimum speed will now be 256K, which will cost 25 dollars monthly for the use, For those using the 128k will be the same price which is now being phased out. Costumer's that used to pay $56 for 256k will now get 512 k for that price. And so it goes right down the list in doubling speeds for the same price, And their will be adding a new speed for the deep pockets for 16 megs and will cost an average of seven hundred dollars a month.

Dis DA Mi- by Phillis Lewis

Who seh Belizean people culture weak? Now don't believe like Brownman mule ''Fish come from river bottom, tell you alligator got bely ache'' 

Deh seh sound like fool, believe am. 

Miss Gladys sefe and Tata de Huende Mek you laugh when you here who is the real bembe Miss Flonn and Chi Chin with with a tune and a stick Educate you with sense more than cobo and plick Da true every ''Every John Crow think ee picky white.'' 

maybe that's made. Spaniards start to fight with a claim up to today day " Tonio, Price nor Goldson brush away 

When yu want to know a person pedigree Osestion a neighbor who live close by he Rain off boat logowood, Battle a St. George's Caye and a sofid junk a slave a ree

Grampa pataki, Cayo boat, barbeque Granny pataki, chamberpot and John cu nu senses as folk." "gang-bruck" during christmas time mean turkey, ham and bram and Boom ' N Chime 

Witness the Carib paddling his canoe, or see the Ketchi as he burns a new 

For long and hard out ancestors have worked In sea and forest where great perils lurked!

Rise Up, dear dear friend, and grasp your neighbor's hand 

With common heart sudbue this, nature's land 

In years to come a future generation 

Will rise and stand, an independence nation!

And say with pride| " This is our dear land 

Given to us by god's and nature's hand."

Belize struggles in Western Sahara: Belize restate in Support for a Struggle of Saharawi People to Self-Determination

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belize, Wilfred Peter Erlington, reiterated his country's support to the struggle of the Saharawi people to self-determination, indicated a Sahrawi diplomatic sources in Nicaragua.

The Foreign Minister of Belize, speaking on the occasion of the celebration of the XXXIII anniversary of independence of Belize in the presence of the Saharawi Ambassador in Nicaragua, Suleiman Hennan Tayeb, expressed the willingness of his Government to strengthen bilateral relations with the SADR.

For his part, the Saharawi diplomat conveyed the congratulations of President Mohamed Abdelaziz and the Saharawi Government to the Government of Belize, wishing peace and prosperity for the people of Belize.

The Saharawi Ambassador also informed his interlocutor of the latest developments in the Western Sahara issue, particularly on the eve of the convening of the UN General Assembly, as Belize is the current president of the Central American integration System (SICA), which includes eight Latin American countries (Belize, Nicaragua, the Salvador, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic).

He was also received by the Governor of Belize and the representative of Queen Elizabeth II of England, the Honourable Sir Colville Norbert Young and Prime Minister Dean Barrow.

Belize has recognized the SADR since November 18, 1986, it should be recalled.

Raise funds for IZAC ALEXANDER BELISLE SANTANA

IZAC ALEXANDER BELISLE SANTANA is in need of your help. He is suffering from Cancer and Tumor on his belly. A fundraiser BBQ will be held at Central Park in San Pedro. If you would like to donate please contact 625-1933. Please help in this worthy cause. 

2014 Orange Walk Parade

2014 Orange Walk parade celebration took place in the mid afternoon when each floats organized by each group. groups from Belize and Corozal join the fun for the great celebration for the 21st of September. From scouts, to colorful floats, to drums from different village 18 groups joined the fun. I liked the huge dress costumes tom the cool dances.

I liked this years event because for me it was the longest and best parade I ever seen.  My advise is, you want to join the fun? next year will be even fun. This years event was so fun I can't believe for the time they spent to decorate their floats and lots of practice. Here is the videos and pictures for Sundays event. Now this how we celebrate Belize Independence day.

And the fun for Belize I hope it continues bigger for next year's event. Enjoy the rest of your september.

10th of September Celebration kicked of in San Pedro

With the awaiting ceremony in Central Park for the coronation, the ceremony commenced at 9am. Students from different schools lined up in various groups to represent their schools.  On August 30th, Michelle Estrella Nuñez was Selected during the Annual Miss San Pedro Pageant. She was crown in Central Park during the ceremony on Wednesday September 10th and the other contestants Ramon’s Village Resort Michelle Nuñez was joined onstage by Doris Soriano sponsored by Diamante, Elma Gonzalez sponsored by Castillo’s Hardware, Daphney Panti sponsored by Fido’s Restaurant and Bar, Illeny Aguilar sponsored by Captain Sharks and Janelli Ack sponsored by Jaguar’s Temple where present at the ceremony and where given certificates and a gift. Each contestants where presented by each Town Council on stage. 

As the weather hold up for the ceremony and the parade, it was less worried to mentioned the that it was no waiting for the rainy, but I enjoyed watching the parade. The good thing though it did not rain too hard. As the parade started by its respective order, it took nearly 10 minutes for the commencement of the school parade. It was fun to watch the children having fun in their respective school and various number of bands playing on the parade the 10th of September Song. I've met a few people (TOURISTS) asking me for a bit of history about Belize while watching the parade.  I explained  to them the history of how the tenth of September become a holiday which is celebrated today. And their willing to come back next year. I hope to see next time my friends!

Well, as it was worth standing on a warm peaceful day I'm looking forward for the 21st of September which we are just getting started with the celebration. Who is ready for the 21st? Are you? Well here are some photo's I took while standing and enjoy my day in San Pedro while watching the parade in the Beautiful La Isla Bonita. Do enjoy the photos.

Coronation at the park  Ramon’s Village Resort Michelle Nuñez

The crowd in tune of the speech

Children watching the stage 

The crowd stood on a side to watch the parade