Community and Society

On Tuesday, November 14th, the Belize Tourism Industry Association San Pedro chapter (SP BTIA) held its Annual General Meeting with a social gathering at the Hidden Treasure Restaurant. Members and guests attended the event, with Area Representative Honourable Andre Perez, Mayor Gualberto' Wally' Nuñez, and BTIA President Stewart Krohn as special guests. The annual gathering also saw the introduction of the new Chairman of the island's BTIA chapter, Nick Scavone.

On the 13th annual Ocean Hero Award, Oceana Belize recognized another islander with prestigious recognition. Philip ‘Billy’ Leslie was presented with the Ocean Hero Award on Friday, November 10th alongside another Belizean champion of the sea, Chef Sean Kuylen.

As the Israeli troops advanced toward Gaza City on Thursday, November 2nd, and the Palestinian death toll has risen to over 9,000, Belize continues to appeal for a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict between the Israel Defence Force (IDF) and the militant group called Hamas. The intense military conflict was triggered after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7th, killing hundreds of Israelis and kidnapping others, including Israeli military officials.

On Sunday, October 29th, The Beach Bar at Caribbean Villas came alive with creative decor and countless dogs with their owners decked in Halloween...

Belize's female senior national football team, Lady Jaguars, scored their fourth win in the CONCACAF Women's Road to Gold Cup after defeating Turks and Caicos 3-0 on Monday, October 30th. The critical football match was held at the Football Federation of Belize (FFB) stadium in the Capital City of Belmopan. Team Belize is League C's leader with 12 points over Aruba, Bonaire, and the Turks and Caicos.

The San Pedro community and other generous donors came together on Friday, October 27th, to support a fundraiser for the reconstruction of parts of the main building of the San Pedro High School (SPHS). The school administration stated they need $350,000 to complete all necessary repairs in their main building. A telethon held throughout Friday saw donations toward this worthy cause from individuals and stakeholders. One of those stakeholders was Caye International Bank (CIB), who not only made a monetary donation but has created a GoFundMe page to raise funds on behalf of SPHS at https://gofund.me/bbc1c852. At the end of the day, a total of $210,346 was raised in the telethon, a satisfactory amount that will aid in the ongoing works at the school.

The deadly mass shooting in the San Pedrito subdivision in the early hours of Monday, October 23rd, left three dead, including a three-year-old baby girl. Four bystanders were injured: Jose Hernandez, 31, Leonel Cornejo, 27, Ivan Guerra, 22, and Randy Guerra, 19. They are recovering at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in Belize City. This essential medical care comes at an expense, and in the case of the Guerras, their relatives have held fundraisers and are asking the public for help.

Several residents in the San Juan subdivision have voiced their discontent about the conditions of some of their streets. Some areas show flooded roadways, making driving or walking difficult. Those affected said they have contacted the San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) for assistance to cope with the situation. They say they have not received any help while it continues to be a daily challenge for students and residents commuting.