San Pedro Dance Company's Junior Group performs in Mexico
Ambergris Today – The San Pedro Dance Company’s Junior Group was invited to participate at the Xcalak 110th Anniversary Celebrations over the weekend. They were happy to perform for our Mexican neighbors, including for a large group of locals who visited the Xcalak to celebrate along with them.
Blue Water Grill wins Restaurant of the Year
Ambergris Today – The Belize Tourism Board held its 10th Annual National Tourism Awards last night, June 10, 2010, at the Best Western Biltmore Plaza in Belize City. Ambergris Today was present as the BTB handed out awards honoring businesses and individuals for their exceptional services in the tourism industry.
Handing out the awards were Minister of Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation Hon Manuel Heredia and Director of Tourism Ms. Seleni Matus. Top winners from San Pedro were Blue Water Grill for Restaurant of the Year, Mrs. Celi McCorkle of San Pedro Holiday Hotel – Lifetime Achievement Award and Xanadu Resort – Green Globe Award Certification.
Minister Heredia gives Lifetime Achievement Award to Celi McCorkle of San Pedro Holiday Hotel, San Pedro, Ambergris Caye
Hopkins won big with Hotel of the Year – Jaguar Reef Lodge and Destination of the Year. Brian Young Sr. of Sea Horse Dive Shop in Placencia won the Minister’s Award. Frontline Person of the Year went to Benjamin Awe of Chaa Creek. Caves Branch Won Tour Operator of the Year. Small Hotel of the Year Award went to The Lodge at Big Falls. International Center for Responsible Tourism is the winner of this year’s Environmental Organization of the Year.
Museum of Belize won Receptive Service of the Year. Small Vendor of the Year Award went to Tuti Fruti Gelateria from Placencia. Mr. Eloy Cuevas of Monkey River Retreat won Tour Guide of the Year and the 3 Kings of Belize won the Cultural Award of the Year for 2010.
The Belize Red Cross in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Organization NEMO is conducting another in the series training. This training, Community First Aid is targeting twenty five times two days (50) participants to be trained in the subjects mentioned.
The training will be a one day session on both days.
The first twenty five (25) will be trained on June 16, 2010.
The second twenty five (25) will be trained on June 17, 2010.
The two organizations at the end of the two days is expected to trained a total of fifty (50) people in Community First Aid. This training will assist us all of us in times of an Emergency or Disaster or when applicable.
We are therefore requesting interesting persons to participate in this important type of training. You can call the NEMO office on Barrier Reef Drive to confirm your attendance on any one of the identified days. Please bring along one or two other interesting persons. Pass on the information. We need to take advantage of these trainings when available.
Contact numbers: 226.4291 / 666.7476 / 600.8672 or email: timrose_a@yahoo.com
Jeromey Timrose Augustin
District Emergency Coordinator NEMO
Belize Rural South
Crocodile removed from Ambergris Lake
SP Sun – On Friday, June 4th the American Crocodile Education Sanctuary (ACES) was requested by the Belize Forest Department to remove yet another problematic crocodile from Ambergris Lake this past weekend. According to eye witnesses, the croc had eaten several local pets, including a Pit Bulldog. Upon arriving on La Isla Bonita late Saturday afternoon, Crocodile Behaviorist, Vince Rose, immediately spotted the croc on the south shore of the lake and proceeded to easily lure it in with chicken on a string.
In the wild, a crocodile’s normal behavior would be to flee and hide when approached by a human. As apex predators, at the top of the food chain, their only predator is man himself. But when crocs are fed by humans, they lose their fear of man and become very dangerous. They will continue to approach closer and closer for that easy meal of un-nutritional, thawed, frozen chicken otherwise known as “croc candy.” Not only does this lead to crocodiles eating pets, but it will only be a matter of time before that particular croc will take a small child as food. It is imperative that residents and tourists alike try their best not to encourage the illegal feeding of these large “modern day dinosaurs.”
Initial observations by ACES’s Biologist Cherie Rose were that the croc was ill. From a distance she could easily see that its snout was covered with a whitish pigmentation, which is actually the sloughing of skin cells, often associated with Septicemia. Within the hour, Vince had literally reached out and placed a noose over the croc’s upper jaw. This was when the ACES team noticed that the crocodile had no teeth. Of course, with no teeth to hold the rope in place, it slipped right off when the croc death-rolled. After a second attempt, Vince opted to set up a snare and a net trap as a backup. At approximately 8 pm on Sunday night, after hours of preparation the 11 foot American Crocodile, Crocodylus acutus, took the bait in the net trap.
Crocodilians have the strongest bite force of any other animal in the world with up to 5,000 pounds per square inch pressure. This is more than a Great White Shark. So, even though the captured croc AKA “Bubbles” (called this because he stayed under the water longer than normal and all anyone could see was his bubble trail) had no teeth, he was quite capable of grabbing and drowning an 80 lb animal with ease. (more…)
Miss El Salvador Diana Ingrid Martinez Pineda
SP Sun – The first of a bevy of beauties has confirmed participation for this year’s Reina de la Costa Maya Pageant. 25-year-old Diana Ingrid Martinez Pineda is a Psychology student at La Universidad Jose Simeon Cañas. Standing at 5’ 5″, and measuring 32-25-26, this lovely brown-eyed brunette enjoys swimming and extreme sports.
Diana will be joined onstage on August 5th, 2010 by delegates from Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama, all vying for the crown, currently held by Nicaragua’s beautiful Maritza Rivas. Best of luck!!
LoveFM – The Belize Archives and Records Service is taking historical documents and images to Caye Caulker and San Pedro for its second travelling exhibition. In September of last year the exhibition was taken up north to Corozal and Orange Walk. According to acting archivist at that the Belize Archives and Records Service Lizet Thompson the exhibition is in keeping with their mandate to promote the historical, cultural and literary history of Belize. The exhibition will be on display in Caye Caulker today from 10 am to 3:30 pm at the Caye Caulker Community Centre and on Friday at the Lion’s Den in San Pedro from 8 am to 3 pm.
Lizet Thompson; Acting Archivist, Belize Archives and Records Service
“This is a continuance of what we started last year. In September of last year we travelled to Corozal and Orange Walk with the travelling exhibition and we want to cover, so to speak, the country. This year we are taking it to Caye Caulker and San Pedro. We believe that it is important for us to take whatever information relating to our history especially to our students. It is important for them to learn the history of our country. We select various topics that we highlight such as hurricanes, chicle production, civil aviation, the development of transportation and railways in Belize. Thos are just samples of the exhibitions that we showcase because it would be a bit impossible for us to highlight all the history of a particular topic at one particular time so we try to do various topics and highlight it during the displays.”
Thompson says the topics chosen are a combination of what they have available and requests made by those who visit their office.
Lizet Thompson
“It goes hand in hand because in the past some of the requests that we have received we would compile these exhibitions we showcase them. We also sit and look at what we have available and we try to have in mind some of the things that we would like to share especially with the students. That is how we come choose our topics. It will be showcasing information; photographs on the various topics are highlighted, we will also have some frames showcasing old scenes of Belize and other different images on transportation and so forth. Apart from just information it is also having a pictorial view of some of these historical facts. For example when it comes to the chicle production it shows you the chiclero and some of its implements they used to use and so forth. In regards to the hurricanes you will be seeing some images of how hurricanes have devastated our country in the past and the importance to always heed warning especially during this hurricane season.”
Belizean icon, Wilfred Peters King of Brukdown
SP Sun – The undisputed King of Brukdown, a Belizean icon, a genre defining musician – Mr. Wilfred Peters – has passed away. Reports are that he passed away at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital on Wednesday afternoon, June 9th, 2010 after suffering a heart attack.
He performed Brukdown for well over 60 years, combining African rhythms with the call-and-response patterns of European harmonies and Belizean Creole lyrics. Mr. Peters and the Boom and Chine band were known for the true Belizean music. His legacy will live on through his music – and in the hearts of all whose lives he touched. May he rest in peace.
Belize Tourism Board National Awards
BTB – The Belize Tourism Board presents the finalists for the 10th Annual National Tourism Awards! On Thursday, June 10th, these tourism stars will be honored for their contribution to the tourism industry. The Belize Tourism Board ensures that the judging process was fair and credible. All nominations have been received, and the two highest voted finalists in each category have been posted on our website.
Representatives of the BTB’s Board and management team have selected a panel of judges comprised of representatives from the tourism industry (both private and public sector). The identities of the judges have been kept confidential. The two finalists in each category have been presented to the judging panels and nominees have been assessed on how well they met the award criteria. The panel of judges have conferred and chosen the winner for each category.
Destination of the Year *New*
Receptive Service of the Year
Hotel of the Year
Restaurant of the Year
Small Hotel of the Year
San Pedro Business Association
The San Pedro Business Association Safety Committee would like to take this opportunity to thank the financial supporters of the Belize Defense Force/Anti-Drug Unit/Special Patrol Unit task force project. The money raised is used to cover the living expenses of the 12 man complement that supplements the San Pedro Police Force. Funds are also used to maintain the barracks that are situated in San Pablo.
At this moment the Belize Coast Guard contingent is also housed in these barracks. The Belize Defense Force and Special Police teams patrol the island and are specialized in working to combat drug trafficking and gang threats. The funds raised over the past month are sufficient to continue operating this task force through until December of this year. This project benefits the entire island. Together as a community we can keep our island and town safe and secure. Many thanks to:
Ab Fay * Amanda Syme * Browne Rice * Blue Water Grill * Byron Warren * Calientes Restaurant * Casa Cayo Real Estate * Casa Pan Dulce * Caye Casa * Chris Berlin * Chris Allnatt * Cliff and Joanne Arthurs * David Baker * Dennis Allen * Debbie Fisher * FCS Aluminum * George Parker * Gigi Sharp * Grant Crimmins * Greg Sawyers * Hidden Treasures Restaurant * Island Construction * Indigo * Las Terrazas * Los Encantos Villas * Jay Ward * Jeff & Sandy Baham * Jerry and Coleen Kuhnlein * Linda Percy * La Perla del Caribe * Mata Chica Resort * Mata Rocks Resort * Milo Paz * Paradise Management * Patrick Stiley * Pelican Properties * Peter Jones * Phil Rigby * Red Ginger Restaurant * Seaside Real Estate * Sew What * Solaria Villas * Stan and Phyllis Jones * Seacluded Sands * Seaduced by Belize * Southwind Properties * Suenos Construction * Sundancer Properties * Sunrise Realty * The Island Cottage * Tropic Air * The Phoenix * Jay Ward * Victoria House Hotel * Villa Plata * Xanadu Resort *
San Pedro School Children
San Pedro Sun – People were pleasantly surprised by students this afternoon as they received handmade pins and decorated balloons with lovely sayings like “Be Happy”, “Stay Safe”, “Be Nice”, etc… it is a combined effort with the various schools who have united for peace.
They are showing a little bit of love to people, stopping at random, unexpected places to share. Students are being taught manners, staying safe, and the meaning of peace. Their lessons took them outside of the classroom to share that same love with others in the community.
