Monthly Archives: May, 2024

Chief Justice Honourable Mde. Louise Esther Blenman is pleased to announce that the Senior Courts of Belize have responded to the recommendations encapsulated by the Caribbean Court of Justice (C.C.J.) Academy for Law's “Needham Point Declaration on Criminal Justice Reform: Achieving A Modern Criminal Justice System” with the aim to reduce the backlogs in the criminal justice system.

The Ministry of Families, Children and Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs and the National Commission for Families and Children note an increase in road traffic accidents involving children and children being transported on our roadways in very unsafe conditions.

Under the collaborative leadership of Mayor Wally Nuñez, the San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) is spearheading a nature-based restoration project. This initiative, aimed at addressing decades of man-made impacts on the beach, is a testament to the current administration’s commitment to protect the shoreline. With the invaluable guidance of science advisor Guadalupe “Valentine” Rosado and other experts, SPTC focuses on restoring native island plants to stabilize the beach and gain a deeper understanding of sediment movement along the shoreline. The project also emphasizes using smart and sustainable strategies for beach nourishment, reflecting the collective responsibility towards the environment.

On Thursday, May 16th, a Health Nutrition Fair was held at the Angel Nunez Auditorium from 9AM through 1PM. Students learned and interacted in booths about healthy habits, food nutrition, and physical activities. The fair was a collaborative effort spearheaded by Robyn Daly Faber from the Ministry of Health, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and the San Pedro High School (SPHS). This joint initiative underscores a shared commitment to promoting health and nutrition among our students.

On Thursday, April 9th, around 9:30 am, an incident occurred at the San Pedro Roman Catholic Church when a group of members from the Israel United in Christ disrupted a school mass in the church. Their disrespectful and insulting behavior alarmed many in the church and within the community. The occurrence is rare in Belize, a country known for religious freedom and peaceful coexistence among many denominations.

San Pedro Town Mayor Gualberto ‘Wally’ Nuñez announced his bid for Area Representative in Belize Rural South (Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker) (BRS) on April 29th. For the electorate, this meant challenging the current Area Representative, Honourable Andre Perez, a member of his own party, the People’s United Party (PUP). Nuñez was determined. However, a directive from the PUP Secretariat has reportedly forced him to reconsider his decision. The note allegedly said that none of the recently elected Mayors would be allowed to participate in any contested convention for the post of standard bearer. The note added that a mayor could only participate in an endorsement convention if no other candidate was interested in the seat.

The San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) is currently using sargassum as a landfill and mixing it with material to build a new boulevard in the San Pedrito subdivision. This innovative approach not only puts the seaweed to good use but also keeps the smell down, making the community a better place to live.

To show solidarity with fly fishers across the country and to continue sending a strong message against developments threatening their livelihoods, a group of fly-fishing guides held a peaceful protest in front of Cayo Rosario on Wednesday, May 15th. Cayo Rosario is a small island within the Hol Chan Marine Reserve Zone IV off the west coast of San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. The surrounding area is home to some of the best fly-fishing areas in the country, but a proposed tourist resort on the small island is of concern to many as it could disrupt their fishing grounds. Fly fishers on Ambergris Caye depend on this sports fishing activity involving the three protected species of bonefish, permit, and tarpon.