Wednesday July 9th, 2014 The office of the organization of America States in the Belize-Guatemala Adjacency Zone (OAS/AZ) is deeply sadden the passing of Ambassador Alfredo Martinez.
The OAS is greatly indebted to Ambassador Martinez, as Chief Negotiator for the Government of Belize, for his invaluable contributions directed at finding a peaceful and permanent solution to the territorial dispute between Belize and Guatemala.
He was a brilliant diplomat whose dedication to his work, despite many challenges and obstacles, are commendable. We will truly miss his energy and commitment to strengthening the bonds of friendship between Belize and Guatemala. The advances achieved in the process can be attribute in large part to his tireless efforts directed at promoting dialogue and international cooperation,
He represented the last in the diplomatic service. He was equally outstanding person, leader rand friend to all who knew him. The OAS/AZ expresses their sincere condolence. May he rest in peace.
The Belize Local soldiers are happy to know that sooner or later they will be receiving new boots and uniforms from the U.S. Marine. Where they will be going into a journey into the wild jungle on the their missions to counter-narcotics sporting with their new boots and uniforms, a thanks to the agreement with the Marine Corps in which the Belizeans trade a jungle warfare training package for their new supplies.
Back in June, Captain Juan Torres, who conducted a team of Marines guided Belizean forces here in the country, said Brig. Gen. David Jones, the commander of the Belize Defence Force, that the Corps had completed the agreement to make the trade. Jones said he was rapturous to be able to supply about a third of his 1,000-man army with new boots compared to those the Marines wear.
“In the jungle where these guys do patrols, it’s not nice to be walking in that type of terrain without good boots,” he told Marine Corps Times.
The exchange between the two services arose with a occupied struck by Gen. John Kelly, commander of U.S. Southern Command, and the head of the Belizean Ministry of National Security, said Maj. Mike Alvarez, a spokesman for the Marine Corps Forces to head South. About a total of 345 Belizean soldiers will receiving a brand new hot weather combat boots, woodland camouflage uniforms, H-harnesses, cartridge belts, ammunition pouches, canteens and canteen pouches.
"In interchange, Jones’ force will supply jungle warfare training for eight Marines, along with 1,000 gallons of fuel in support of the operation", Alvarez said. Belizean and their are other Central and South American troops who are skillful in jungle warfare training. The amount cost for the trade is approximately at closely to $92,000, Alvarez said, and it supports Kelly’s top objective: countering transnational organized crime.
In developing countries, the necessity of the local militaries are basic. Leaders here aren't questioning for the latest in fighter jets or amphibious assault vehicles, but they are asking for uniform items, ammunition or canteens.“It has become very difficult for us to get good, decent boots,” Jones said. “In the past, we used to buy them from a company in El Salvador. We try to buy from the region because prices are reasonable, but the quality is not very good.”
Every three months, Jones position in readiness a company deep into the jungle along the Guatemalan border. They spend a week patrolling, disrupting attempts at trafficking blunt and other illegal goods. In that type of environment, good boots can mean a difference between injury and a successful mission, he said.
On Sunday July 6th at around 8:30pm in the area of Boca Del Rio near Compadre Bar a three structure house was completely destroyed by fire. A call was made at the fire department reaching within 15 minutes on the premises. neighbors and other people helped in to turn off the fire with buckets of water. Since their where close to the lagoon the fire truck got their within minutes connecting the water pump. The cause of the fire is still on investigation and fortunately, Families where left homeless and a total of 5 families of 24 people where living on the complex rental building including Damages to the surrounding building where a white long house and a total of 6 rooms and 40 people including that where living in the building. The only injuries that where confirmed by the officer in charge was a baby with minor injuries and a broken hand by a male person that was presently attended by Dr. Otto Rodriguez Poly Clinic II.The fire affected 66 people from 16 different families, including 32 minors below the age of 17.
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According to police “it was carefully noticed that seven small wooden structure buildings were destroyed, one concrete & wooden two storey Building, one Concrete two storey Building was destroyed by the fire and water damage. A total of nine nine Buildings were damaged.”Police say that preliminary investigation indicates that the fire started from a two-storey concrete and wood building from where residents of the area say they first saw smoke coming from. No one was injured in the blaze and police investigations continue.
It was confirmed from the officer in charge that the fire affected 66 people from 16 different families, including 32 minors below the age of 17. According to I witness Edita Hernandez say that she saw smoke from her son's room.which was seen fron the concrete & wooden Building and that the fire originated from this building. Member's of theBelize Red Cross, the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) and the San Pedro Town Council will work together to help the victims to start helping them.
Donations where done today for the victim's on the fire at the Lion's Den where it was drop off good, clean, slightly used clothes for the families of the fire victims. Lion's Club, NEMO, Red Cross, Evangelical Alliance of SP. If you would like to donate you can contact Lorna Vasquez at the San Pedro Town Council at (501) 226-2198 or (501) 226-2788.
World Court To Settle Guatemala, Belize 200-year-old Boundary Dispute – WASHINGTON, July 2 (BERNAMA-NNN-AGENCIES) — Guatemala and Belize signed an accord agreeing to let their territorial dispute, which is nearly two centuries old, be settled in the International Court of Justice in The Hague. Foreign Ministers Roger Rodas of Guatemala and Wilfred Elrington of Belize signed the pact at the Washington headquarters of the Organization of American States.
The signing of the accord comes after the recommendation made last year by OAS Secretary-General Jose Miguel Insulza that the parties turn to the United Nation’s top judicial entity after the negotiations the two countries restarted in 2005 failed to bear fruit.
The OAS has monitored the dialogue process between the two countries since 2000, when they began making efforts to work out the controversy, which dates from 1821 when Guatemala gained independence from Spain and Britain was occupying what is today Belize.
Guatemala continues to press its claim to some 12,700 square kilometers of Belizean soil, which amounts to more than half of the former British colony’s territory.
That expanse represents a logging concession granted to Britain by the Spanish Crown in the 17th century.
Insulza emphasized that the two countries took “a very important step for the solution of the problem” by acknowledging that the dispute “is essentially of a juridical character” and agreeing to take the case to the ICJ.
Even so, voters in the two neighboring countries must still ratify the accord in referendums.
Rodas expressed Guatemala’s desire to “definitively” end the dispute, adding that the ICJ decision will allow all concerned to “be able to define, among other things, the Guatemalan territory in dispute and establish the borders.” The Guatemalan foreign minister also emphasized that his country is ready to move forward with cooperation and integration in all areas with Belize, as well as in strengthening understanding between the two countries.
Belize says it hopes the referendum as part of the efforts to end the long running border dispute with Guatemala would be held “very soon” and reiterated a need for a peaceful solution to the issue.
Last year the Belize government said Guatemala appeared to be having difficulty with proceeding with the referendum in both countries on Oct 6 this year and that the country wanted to go straight to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
It also did not want to put an end to the existing Special Agreement between them.
The same turquoise waters that lure tourists to Caribbean destinations slosh around Belize's island chain. But tiny Belize has a major advantage in reeling in the holidaymakers - spectacular Mayan ruins tucked away in lush jungle. The nation is home to more prehistoric buildings than modern-day ones, according to its Institute of Archaeology.The same turquoise waters that lure tourists to Caribbean destinations slosh around Belize's island chain. But tiny Belize has a major advantage in reeling in the holidaymakers — spectacular Maya ruins tucked away in lush jungle. The nation is home to more prehistoric buildings than modern-day ones, according to its Institute of Archaeology.
That ancient appeal draws in backpackers eager for adventure as well as divers ready to gawk at its bustling reefs or plunge into its famed Blue Hole. Belize has all the ingredients for a surf and turf vacation — at least for those who don't mind the odd giant cockroach or neon green frog that may invade their jungle dwellings.
CAVES, SKELETONS AND A SWIM
Evidence of human sacrifice in Maya times litters the floors of the Actun Tunichil Muknal caves, where the skeletons are welded in place by limestone sediment. Mayan pottery is also frozen in time there, with archeologists opting to leave most artifacts as they were centuries ago. To get to the caves, visitors are led down a gentle jungle trail that includes several river crossings. Next, comes an invigorating swim across a frigid pool of water at the cave's mouth (which is patrolled by a resident vine snake). Water winds throughout the cave, and visitors have to squeeze through impossible-looking openings before being rewarded with the archaeological trove. But don't expect to plaster social media with photos documenting the adventure. Clumsy tourists — including one who left a camera-sized hole in the skull of a sacrificed child — led to a ban on cameras at the site.
PYRAMID IN THE JUNGLE
Just a fraction of Caracol, a once powerful Maya city state, has been unearthed by archaeologists. Once home to 150,000 inhabitants (nearly twice the population of Belize's current industrial center, Belize City), the site was lost until a logger stumbled upon it in the 1930s while in search of mahogany. Nearly a century later, 90 percent of it still belongs to the jungle. Shards of ancient pottery are scattered around the complex, which includes astronomical buildings, ball courts, palaces and a 141-foot-tall pyramid that remains the tallest man-made structure in Belize. The guttural intonations of howler monkeys and the eerie screech of the yellow-tailed bird provide the soundtrack for those wandering through the massive archaeological site.
STONE WOMAN AND EL CASTILLO
This complex of ruins got its Maya name, Xunantunich — meaning "Stone Woman" — from a sun-soaked apparition said to haunt the site. The city was built up over millennia and its history is sketched out neatly at the newly opened visitor's center. At the site itself, the main attraction is the ruin known as "El Castillo," which towers above the jungle. Four elaborate stucco friezes depicting Maya gods once hugged each side of the building. Now just two remain, and they're both covered up by fiberglass copies to preserve the originals. Despite its lofty appearance and elaborate decorations, the Castillo likely served as an administrative hub, not a temple, according to the visitor's center.
PALACE, BALL COURT AND PLACE OF THE TICKS
Even from its perch high up on a hill, Cahal Pech lives in the shadow of its more impressive neighbors, Caracol, Xunantunich and Tikal. Cahal Pech — which unflatteringly means "Place of the Ticks" in Yucatec and Mopan Mayan — sits on the outskirts of San Ignacio, a popular base for those exploring Maya ruins. Under the cover of an encroaching jungle, visitors can get a glimpse of how the upper crust lived in Maya times through the site's palace structures. The site is also home to a nice example of a Maya ball court.
BARRIER REEF AND BLUE HOLE Caye Caulker is a sandy strip of land surrounded by a bounty of sea life. The more laid-back alternative to San Pedro (immortalized by the 1987 Madonna hit "La Isla Bonita"), provides a base for the thriftier tourist looking to explore Belize's nearby barrier reef. The island is crowded with tour companies that ferry visitors to reef hot spots, such as the intimidating Shark Ray Alley. Nurse sharks and sting rays were originally drawn to the area by fishermen cleaning their catch, but now it's tour boats that chum the waters. The fish expectantly clamor around any boat that arrives. Other underwater highlights include an enormous logger turtle that is blind in one eye that hovers around a conch fishermen's boat, and a rainbow of tropical fish. Eerie night snorkeling affords an opportunity to watch the fish scurry to find a home among the reef before darkness falls. When things do turn truly nocturnal, snorkelers armed with underwater LEDs have the opportunity to spot squid, octopus, lobster and crabs. Scuba divers can also catch a ride to Belize's iconic Blue Hole, an underwater sinkhole that's 1,000 feet wide and 412 feet deep.
IGUANA PROJECT
Iguana scurry all over San Ignacio thanks in part to the efforts of the Iguana Project, which hatches and releases the critters whose eggs are regularly gobbled up by predators in the wild. A guided tour of the facility where they're kept allows tourists to get up-close-and-personal with the scaly beasts. Among the highlights is the iguana nursery, where willing participants can be covered in a brood of four- to six-month-old bright green iguanas. Belizeans are prohibited from keeping the lizards as pets, but Iguana Project guide Jorge Lopez says locals will eat green iguanas for dinner. And he insists they taste like chicken. The project works to boost the lizard's population by releasing 100 to 150 iguanas a year.
Visit the website at http://www.travelbelize.org/. Located between Mexico and Guatemala, with nonstop flights to Belize City from Houston, Miami and other points. From Belize City, water taxis serve Caye Caulker and San Pedro. Buses and shuttles take tourists inland to San Ignacio, where a variety of tour companies run day trips to Maya ruins sites.
Press Release June 2nd, 2014 BTL informs our DSL and 4G customers that some changes have been made to our DNS servers. In order to activate the new settings on your computer, customers are asked to change thePrimary DNS to 190.197.37.154 and Secondary DNS to 200.32.248.1. 4G customers are asked to Airplane mode or power off your handset so as to allow the changes to take effect for improved internet service.
Customers are assured that our Technical Teams continue to work to find a permanent solution that will alleviate the ongoing external attacks to our servers. We remain committed to providing the quality service our customers expect and deserve.
Customers who continue to have issues accessing their internet service are asked to please call the Call Center at 119 as our Agents remain available to assist. We apologize for any inconvenience caused and thank you for your patience and understanding.
The island of San Pedro is well known for the best events about fashion show from kids, to school, to adults each and everyone enjoy's fashion show. We proudly announce the Fashion Fiesta show that was held on June 26th at the Angel Nunez Auditorium. The school of La Isla Bonita showcased their fashion show that was organized by the principal of the school. The class from Infant one to Standard 6th boys and girls came out to display their fashion show. All of the kid's came out dress Casual Short pants, to sports wear, to Beach wear and evening dress.
It All began as the Master of Ceremony Angel Nunez and Gavin Zapata where the host for the event. They both kept the audience entertained throughout the show. As the commencement of the show Jucelly Badillo opened the show with a great dance performance. Modeling was up next as both MC's presented the girls and boys from the smallest to the biggest wearing their Casual Short Pants. Great clothing for this summer clothing were showcased by the kid's. It was an entertaining show for the crowd as the the youngest one's just enjoyed being on stage dancing while modeling.
The event continued as Elina Palma and Marhtalicia Vasquez performed their song on stage. As summer is here the weather is warm the Beach Wear Modeling was up next for students of La Isla Bonita when they came out dressed as Beach wear. With the different sponsors in town each student Modeled with no fear. With boys wearing their water pants to girls wearing their beach bikini and shades the crowd cheered up for their favorite one's.
Shannon Nunez and Giselly Rodriguez made a performance dance show on stage dancing their way throw the presentation. Their move kicked of with great performance. With no fear while dancing it looked that they din't made any mistake while enjoying their time dancing. The San Pedro Dance Academy introduced the audience with an dance performance on stage that quiet silenced the crowd to listen their dance. Through the dance it was well practice without mistakes. claps came from audience for their great performance.
The MC's now introduced the audience the Modeling for the Sports Wear. Boys and girls came out wearing their favorite Sports Wear obviously, it looked like football was the most popular one. For some it was boxing, Basketball Player, Volleyball, Tennis, and other sports wear. The students wear just having the fun night out making the audience laugh.
Neslen Rivero from Isla Bonita came on the night of the event long dressed, high heels and a great voice. One of the well dance group on the island well known as they showcased their show on various shows on the island such as international Costa Maya, events on schools or at the Central Park for events is well known San Pedro Revolution Dance. With the popularity of the group growing more and more this one group no one didn't wanted to miss. Children where into the show dance to adults enjoyed the show well presented by the San Pedro Dance Revolution.
Last, the Evening Wearing by the boys and girls showcased their dress for going out. Girls with their different evening dress and boys wearing their different tuxedo. At every presentation throughout the show all students came out with sponsors that where entitled the students that where given to wear. The was a great night to see. One of the youngest presentation of the show was a youngster that sing a song. She is well known as Samantha Munoz that song her rendition song. The audience cheered for her song that made her feel special. Very well performance by Munoz.
At the end of the show the principal of the school gave her vote of thanks thanking each person that made it to the show hoping that everyone enjoyed the Fashion Fiesta Show. With each Modeling student they perform very well. It was an interesting show to see. Modeling can be for everyone to enjoy and I hope the school keeps it up.
The Embassy of Mexico cordially invites you to a Clarinet Concert by PAAX UTIA'AL IIK which will be held on Saturday, July 5th, 2014 at 6:30 pm. FREE ENTRANCE and it will be held at the Institute of Mexico in Belize City Corner of Newtown Barracks & Wilson Street.
Here is the event for the future days: Wednesday June 25th 7:30pm Lecture of the Caste War, June 25th- 29th Art show exhibition at the House of Culture, June 27th La Bajada Old football field 7pm (Come bring your family for the opening ceremony of the Dia De San Pedro, Dance Company and more), June 28th La Alborada 6pm at the Roman Catholic church 6pm, entertainment at the old football field @ 10pm live music at the old football field with super fura and more and don't miss the fireworks display, June 29th Mesa De Pescado at 4am, 5am fishermen Breakfast, 6am boat procession, All day fishing Rodeo.
In the month of June San Pedro celebrates Dia De San Pedro better known as St. Peter (San Pedro) which is celebrated on June 29th. Where the local traditional joins together for the Desayunos\Breakfast, Patron Saint's on day of the procession A week full of events on the third week of the month is full of activities before the opening of the Dia De San Pedro.
100's of people from visitors, to local, from around the country come out to witness the local culture. This tradition is closely organize by the Catholic Church. This Culture is known for the religious, the culture and the festivities. La Bajada is a religious culture Novena for ten days which follows through the event of the Dia De San Pedro.San Pedro is a rich cultural part of the history about how it was an integral part of the Maya history and the traditions on island residents.
Those who came out to see the photos on June 24th brought good memories of the old fishing industry in San Pedro and those who grow up at the time of the fishing industry back in the 1900's. When the fishing industry where much popular at the time and less populated as a village the fishermen spent more time hauling more fish immediately putting it in a tank on the boat whenever the TARAYA\fishing net is thrown.
The fishermen sailed off to Belize City and Corozal to sell fish which they benefited more on selling fish. If the fish wasn't sold all the fish was cleaned, opened, and the meat is cut and last salt is rubbed on the fish overnight until 90 percent is preserved. After the process it was taken to Corozal, Belize City, Sarteneja and along the villages in Barrios Guatemala. This process is called corned dried\Pescado Seco meaning it was dried on the sun until it is 90 percent salted.
This year the week event will come alive with festivities music and cultural presentations. I visited the Opening Art Show On June 24th which started at around 6:30pm at Friendship Park in San Pedro. Here are the photo's down Below:
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