Community and Society
Rotaract Club of Ambergris Caye: Another Successful Merry Boxes Project
The Rotaract Club of Ambergris Caye is passionately seeking ways to improve lives and create smiles through a tiny action at a time, and one way the club has achieved that is through our annual Merry Boxes project. In its seventh edition, the Merry Boxes project is dedicated to assisting needy families during the Holiday Season. This year, with the help of Mother Teresa Casita, the Rotaract Club of Ambergris Caye was able to prepare 20 boxes to give to families, each containing an abundant supply of food and personal and home goods.
Community and Society
San Pedro Town Council Sports working on the 2024 sports calendar
The San Pedro Town Council Sports is planning the upcoming 2024 sports calendar. The schedule of activities aims to provide the many talented island youth with the opportunity to explore their sporting strength. When the calendar is confirmed, it will include a set of sports disciplines with different sporting activities to choose from.
Community and Society
National Forensic Science Services receives regional recognition
The National Forensic Science Service (NFFS) achieved regional recognition on January 4, 2024, by having four International Association for Identification (IAI) Certified Crime Scene Investigators employed as staff members in the Scenes of Crime Unit, making Belize the only country in Central America and the Caribbean to have that many Crime Scene Investigators certified by IAI. The IAI is the world's oldest and largest professional body for forensic science practitioners.
Community and Society
Water taxi companies to relocate from downtown San Pedro
A less trafficked and congested downtown San Pedro has always been in the local government's plan. While this has been a difficult task in the past, the current San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) is working closely with stakeholders to achieve this goal. One of the expected changes is the relocation of the water taxi companies. The two operating on the island's east side that run to and from Belize City are San Pedro Belize Express (SPBE) and Caribbean Sprinter. The SPBE has started constructing its boat terminal south of town along Coconut Drive.
Community and Society
BEL continues preparations to upgrade power supply in San Pedro
Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) continues with its plans to install 10 MW of battery storage in San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, to address the increasing power demand. The electricity company is currently preparing a section of a property they own in downtown San Pedro. So far, they have cleared all vegetation (mangroves) and filled the area with material to serve as a foundation where the needed upgrades will be installed to avoid a power crisis on Ambergris Caye.
Community and Society
Firearms and Ammunition Control Board appointed
The inaugural meeting of the Firearms and Ammunition Control Board was held on Thursday, January 4th. The Board comprises the Minister of Home Affairs and New Growth Industries Chief Executive Officer, Sharole Carr-Saldivar, Magistrate Mannon Dennison, and Senrio Superintendent of Police Clement Cacho. The appointment of this Board came after the amendment to the Firearms Act, Chapter 143 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000, which seeks to revolutionize, reform, and regulate the sale, purchase, importation, exportation, trans-shipment, disposal, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in Belize.
Community and Society
Hundreds of expired goods removed from San Pedro stores
Before 2023 ended, the office of the Public Health Inspector in San Pedro Town indicated that several large stores and supermarkets were inspected following reports of expired goods on sale. The search led to removing many expired items that were condemned and destroyed.
Community and Society
New eligible voters register to participate in 2024 Municipal Elections
The 2024 municipal elections are fast approaching, and in San Pedro Town the campaign trail has been busy with candidates from both the People’s United Party (PUP) and the United Democratic Party (UDP) running their respective campaign machines. On Wednesday, January 10th, members of both parties flocked to the Elections and Boundaries branch in San Pedro to assist those needing to register to vote in the upcoming municipal elections set for Wednesday, March 6th.