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Like many people whose job involves the putting of pen to paper — or more accurately finger to keyboard — G. Michael Reid often relies on his childhood experiences for inspiration. Tonight, however, those memories have been disturbed by some negative developments in the world of the arts. “The Belize Arts Council is busy preparing […]
Written on March 20, 1998 | Posted in
Commentary |
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Two crimes merged into one today as a Belize City youth, Allen “Jam” Quilter, has been shot dead and his best friend, Alfonso “Cat” Williams, is missing and believed murdered. According to Assistant Inspector Simeon Alvarez the drama unfolded Wednesday morning when they were called in to investigate the disappearance of Williams. Williams’ sister Laurita, […]
Written on March 19, 1998 | Posted in
Crime |
Comments Off on One dead, another feared murdered in kidnapping
Eleven people, including two women, were today taken to Magistrate’s Court by C.I.B. officers to answer to a range of charges in connection with the Logwood Street shooting on Monday night. According to Assistant Inspector Simeon Alvarez, they believe the shoot-out was a result of an order given by a Belize City drug kingpin to […]
Written on March 19, 1998 | Posted in
Crime |
Comments Off on 11 charged in drug related shooting
A get-rich-quick scheme was turned into a go-to-jail quick scheme for two Honduran youths, as police on Wednesday evening foiled an attempted kidnapping in San Pedro. According to the officer in charge of the town’s police station, Assistant Superintendent Michael Gutierrez, it was an elaborate plan, but one that apparently had some unanticipated glitches. Thirty […]
Written on March 19, 1998 | Posted in
Crime |
Comments Off on Kidnap plot foiled in San Pedro
As criminal behavior goes, it’s not as dramatic as kidnapping, but if you’ve ever eaten a meal of rotten chicken you know that the results it produces constitute a crime against humanity… or at least the human stomach. And that’s just the way the health department feels. This afternoon health officers closed down the Yang […]
Written on March 19, 1998 | Posted in
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Restaurant closed by Health Department
For the second time in as many weeks a major catastrophe involving a butane gas delivery truck has been narrowly averted on the Northern Highway. Last week it was a truck belonging to Belize Western Energy Limited that skidded off the road and overturned, blocking traffic for hours. Today, the highway was again the scene […]
Written on March 19, 1998 | Posted in
Auto Accidents |
Comments Off on Another butane truck involved in accident on Northern Highway
Were it not for an occasional royal palm, their neatly laid out fields could easily pass for Canada, New England or the U.S. midwest. But the rolling hills of Spanish Lookout were not always so well covered in corn, beans and pasture. In fact when the first Mennonite settlers arrived here in 1958 the land […]
Written on March 19, 1998 | Posted in
Miscellaneous |
Comments Off on Mennonites celebrate 40 years at Spanish Lookout
Today was that one day of every year that no matter which party is in power, no matter how empty our pockets or how dismal our prospects… disbelief is suspended and Belize is transformed into a land of endless plenty and unlimited potential … And in that respect 1998 was a vintage year for a […]
Written on March 18, 1998 | Posted in
Economy |
Comments Off on Budget presentation says all is well
With the Opposition involved in an indefinite boycott of the National Assembly, the Government side could not resist the opportunity to chastise their opponents… Both the Prime Minister and his deputy claimed to take the matter very seriously. Manuel Esquivel, Prime Minister “I wish I could say it was merely silly. I’m afraid it’s more […]
Written on March 18, 1998 | Posted in
Politics |
Comments Off on Opposition boycott affronts Constitution, says P.M.
Another opportunity the government just couldn’t resist was the proposal of an amendment to the Bankruptcy Act… that will have the effect of enabling former Freetown Representative Derek Aikman to once again run for a seat in the House. Manuel Esquivel, Prime Minister “Well that’s neither here or there. The question is whether it just […]
Written on March 18, 1998 | Posted in
Politics |
Comments Off on U.D.P. says amendment to bankruptcy act is justice, not politics
And finally, with the entire police department suffering from chronic laryngitis, we couldn’t resist the chance to ask the Minister of National Security about the deafening silence on the subject of Wensworth Mangar. Dean Barrow, Minister of National Security “I should think that they do not want to go into additional details because the manhunt […]
Written on March 18, 1998 | Posted in
Crime |
Comments Off on Barrow says Police silence on Mangar is tactic, not cover-up
The Society for the Promotion of Education and Research, better known as SPEAR, along with the University College of Belize, will tonight inaugurate the tenth annual Studies on Belize Conference. The theme of this year’s conference is a timely one. Entitled “Land and Nation: Rights, Responsibilities and Reform” the conclave’s twenty or so presentations will […]
Written on March 18, 1998 | Posted in
Social Issues |
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The controversy over last week’s Belize District spelling finals has been resolved. At the March thirteenth competition Christina Lozano of Ladyville R.C. was crowned as winner and Rensi Franklin of Holy Redeemer took second. Both students would thus represent the district in the national finals. An erroneous call by judges, however, prevented Jacqueline Rosales of […]
Written on March 18, 1998 | Posted in
Education |
Comments Off on Spelling Bee controversy settled
Residents of the twin towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena can now get their news and local programs live and direct, thanks to the introduction of this station’s broadcasts on the community’s cable system. Great Belize Television, which already serves the Belize and Cayo Districts over the air on channels 5, 2 and 13, […]
Written on March 18, 1998 | Posted in
Miscellaneous |
Comments Off on Channel Five now on Cayo cable
It was a prestigious institution that nurtured some of Belize’s finest scientific minds… and if today’s contribution by B.E.L. can be replicated, B.T.C. may one day return to its former glory. Almost one month ago when we took our cameras inside of what was supposed to have been the chemistry lab of Belize Technical College, […]
Written on March 18, 1998 | Posted in
Education |
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Over forty-eight hours after the death of fugitive Wensworth Mangar police are still stonewalling on critical details surrounding the shooting. In conversation with police officers ranging from Commissioner Ornel Brooks to constables on the beat, the tune is the same: “It’s all in the press release.” The release in question, however, issued Sunday afternoon, raises […]
Written on March 17, 1998 | Posted in
Crime |
Comments Off on Police still silent on Mangar
Almost a month after a long drive-by shooting on Faber’s and Kraal Road the police were once again called out to investigate a similar incident in Belize City. Although this time the mayhem did not cover as much ground as the February episode, the motive is believed to be the same and some of the […]
Written on March 17, 1998 | Posted in
Crime |
Comments Off on Police say Belize City shooting is drug related
The company did such a good job on the first half of the Hummingbird Highway that it’s now getting a chance to finish the job. Today in Belmopan Cisco Construction, the nation’s premier road builder, was awarded the contract to pave the remaining ten miles of the Hummingbird running from Belmopan to the Sibun Bridge. […]
Written on March 17, 1998 | Posted in
Environment |
Comments Off on Cisco signs contract for Hummingbird Highway
The Organization of American States has approved over one hundred and eighty four thousand U.S. dollars for disbursement to projects in Belize. According to an OAS press release, twenty eight thousand five hundred dollars will go the Belize Business Bureau. The Bureau will use the money for institutional strengthening which includes the preparation of an […]
Written on March 17, 1998 | Posted in
Economy |
Comments Off on OAS funds four projects
Tomorrow is budget day but one announcement in Wednesday’s budget speech will not come as a surprise. Under the guidelines of CARICOM’s common external tariff, on April first some seven hundred imported items will have another five percent knocked off their rate of duty. The list of goods ranges from baby clothes to carpets and […]
Written on March 17, 1998 | Posted in
Economy |
Comments Off on Lower import duties on April 1st
You will not see much blue and white in the House of Representatives on Wednesday and the only Guyabera in evidence may be that worn by Deputy Prime Minister Dean Barrow. The reason, of course, is the several month old boycott of the legislative process by the People’s United Party. Opposition leader Said Musa told […]
Written on March 17, 1998 | Posted in
Politics |
Comments Off on Opposition leader explains legislative boycott
They are often on the front lines of Belize’s war against disease and while their role is not without controversy, they are an indispensable part of our health care system. This morning I attended an exhibition by the nation’s pharmacists. Whether you were looking to build your muscles, smooth out your wrinkles or cure your […]
Written on March 17, 1998 | Posted in
Health |
Comments Off on Pharmacists display products to public
You’d have thought that the police department would be crowing like a rooster who just stepped out the henhouse. But apart from a terse and enigmatic press release there has been not a single official word from any officer, from the commissioner on down, about Sunday morning’s killing of Belize’s most wanted fugitive, Wensworth Mangar. […]
Written on March 16, 1998 | Posted in
Crime |
Comments Off on Mangar is dead, but the controversy won?t die
While Patrick Jones was questioning the dead man’s relatives in Cayo, I spoke to other family members in Belize City, where they had come to identify the body at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital morgue. Not surprisingly, their disdain for the authorities had not been diminished by Sunday’s events. A grieving Sarita Bennett, the mother […]
Written on March 16, 1998 | Posted in
Crime |
Comments Off on Family still critical of police
In other crime news, this time of a less unusual variety, a Chinese restaurant in Belmopan was robbed Friday night. Twenty-seven year old Jim Saan told police that around 9:20 a barefoot masked man entered his restaurant and bar on Constitution Drive. The intruder brandished a pistol, demanded money and then helped himself to four […]
Written on March 16, 1998 | Posted in
Crime |
Comments Off on Belmopan restaurant held up
