| San Pedro Daily |  |
Wednesday,
January
20,
2010 Belize's Daily- 7 Days a Week |
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ISLAND
SUPERMARKET "Best Prices - Best Quality - Best Service" Phone: 501-226-2972 or 501-226-2973 islandsupermarket@gmail.com FREE DELIVERY IN TOWN |
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Luxury Yacht
Lodged on Barrier Reef
An 85 foot luxury yacht The Great Escape is
tonight lodged
on Belize’s barrier reef near Hunting Caye. It has been there since
November 30th of last year when it’s captain and owner American
national Albert Barscroft ran aground on a portion of the reef in the
Sapodilla and Hunting Caye Range while exiting Belizean territorial
waters.
What’s news tonight is that the yacht is falling apart and it needs to be removed to avoid an environmental catastrophe. The yacht is loaded with fuel and after being lodged on the reef for 6 weeks the Department of Environment fears that it is beginning to break. The vessel hasn’t been removed because according to the DOE, the yacht’s owner allegedly paid Jorge Alfredo Aldana US$10,000 to remove but he didn’t. Aldana allegedly wanted another US$60,000 to remove it. So now it is in the hands of the Department of Environment which we are told is trying to gather the necessary funds reportedly between $30,000 and $50,000 to pay to have it ship pulled off the reef. The owner will then reimburse the DOE. The yacht’s owner Albert Barscroft is not in the country because after he was detained by the Coast Guard after the yacht ran aground, he had a heart attack and was rushed to Guatemala for treatment. He has yet to return. Because the vessel is still lodged on the reef, the Department of Environment has been unable to assess the damage to the reef. The Port Authority is however still investigating the cause of the accident. We are told that the evidence so far suggests that the accident was a result of negligence. CH7 Anglers asked to help protect
Belize's fish
By any
measure, the world-class sport fishery in the waters of Belize has for
years been known for its quality and consistency. That fishery
contributes in no small way to the country's vital tourism industry.
But now, foreign fishing fleets pose an increasing problem looming on
the horizon for Belize, according to Chris Harris, who, with his wife,
Sue, run the country's Steppingstones Resort.
Late last year, Jamaican fishing vessels showed up off Punta Gorda, says Andy Sharpless of Oceana. He notes that these boats are larger, more sophisticated and better equipped than the generally smaller artisanal Belizean fishing boats. Similarly, says Harris, Guatemalans have been harvesting the country's resources. Of course none the benefits accrue to Belize. Sharpless says countries with much larger fleets, notably Taiwan and Spain ("Europe's largest and most aggressive fishing nation), are attempting to secure the Belize government's permission to fish waters beyond the vast barrier reef. Currently such fishing is prohibited but not necessarily prevented. That requires enforcement, which Harris says is minimal at best. The country, he adds, desperately needs more patrol vessels and trainer officers, since the lack of enforcement is the biggest single concern right now. Harris says anyone can easily help their effort to protect Belize's fish by signing a petition online, at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/exploitation-of-belize-marine-resources-and-fishery. Anyone who wants to do more can send emails of concern to the minister of fisheries, the Hon. Rene Montera, at minaf@btl.net; the coastal zone management authority in Belize City, at ceoczmai@gmail.com; and to the Minister of Tourism's CEO, Michael Singh, at mike.singh@tourism.gov.bz. sportfishingmag.com BELIZE RED CROSS RECEIVES MORE FUNDS
SOL Belize presented a cheque for ten
thousand dollars to the
Belize
Red Cross this morning to assist in helping the earthquake victims of
Haiti. As a part of their continuous efforts fifteen cents from each
gallon of fuel purchased from any of the Shell Service Stations
countrywide will go towards the Haiti Relief Fund. The initiative
started on Monday and will continue throughout the rest of the week.
Joe Habet is General Manger of SOL Belize.
Joe Habet, General Manager Sol Belize On February 4th is our 5th anniversary of doing business in Belize and part of that initiative we were already starting some planning to have some media and promotional activities around that date and one of the initiatives we were going to do at that time; on instruction from our head office they asked every country to make a contribution to their local charity based from sales. We were going to do this on February 4th but with the incident in Haiti we decided we wanted to do that for an entire week and moved it up to this week. So what we would have done on February 4th we started to do yesterday. In conjunction with our dealers, 15 cents for every gallon sold at the service stations across Belize will be contributed to this cause, to the Haiti Relief Fund. Based on our average sale at the moment, that number will be approximately $20,000.00. The situation in Haiti is dire so what we are going to do is today we are going to present a cheque for $10,000.00 for today and after the week is completed and we have tallied our sales we will make a further cheque; that number will be in excess of $20,000.00. So far the Belize Red Cross has raised over sixty seven thousand dollars for earthquake victims in Haiti. Love FM Attorney General says Belize will
adapt CCJ by 2011
 While the opposition raised the ante
calling for the
resignation of Foreign Minister, on Monday, Wilfred Sedi Elrington
wearing his hat as Attorney General gave a commitment on the Caribbean
Court of Justice. The CCJ has been an idea toyed with in judicial and
even parliamentary circles for years and not every country in the
Caribbean has signed up for membership. At Monday’s Supreme Court
opening, Elrington said that by the time the Supreme Court meets at
next year’s opening, Belize would have fully adopted the CCJ as its
final appellant court, permanently replacing the Privy Council.
Wilfred Elrington, Attorney General It’s only for us to pass the legislation and I imagine we’re gonna do that sometime this year because of the majority that we have in the House we don’t necessarily need the other side to join in. But I don’t see them having any difficulty because they had proposed the legislation the last time when the UDP was in opposition and it failed because we did not give it the support that it needed at that time. Of course, the circumstances have now changed and the prime minister has decided that he is going to go ahead with it. Marion Ali In terms of the technical aspects of it, courtroom procedures and so forth, is it a lot different from what we’re used to? Wilfred Elrington Not really, physically no. Perhaps it will even be less formal than the Supreme Court. I am told that the court will be an itinerant court so they will come to Belize and hear cases and then they will go to Jamaica and Trinidad. And of course, those courts are regarded as specialized courts so you really have to train properly and sharp to practice in them. But outside of that, I don’t think it’s different from the court process that we are accustomed to. CH5 Cabinet News
Regarding those crushing interest rates, a
government release says that government was briefed on, the reform of
monetary policy and the question of interest rates by the Governor of
the Central Bank. Basically as we understand it the Prime Minister
tasked the Central Bank to come up with suggestions for strategies or
instruments that will produce the lowering of bringing down interest
rates.
And in other government news, Prime Minister Barrow will leave Belize next week Tuesday to attend the American Foundation for the University of the West Indies (AFUWI) Annual Legacy Awards on Thursday. The PM will receive the distinguished Legacy Award along with three other Caribbean Prime Minister’s. Champion sprinter Usain Bolt and film-maker Spike Lee will also be honored. CH7 NOTICES
&
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Peter 4's memorial
service TODAY, Wednesday, Jan 20th.
Music around 4:30... Pot Luck food welcome- service to follow.
Scheduled Power
Outage
CAYE CAULKER- Wednesday, January 20,
2010- 8:00:00 AM- 10:00:00 AM- Feeder: 2; Zone:
2; All that area south of the Power Station including Luciano Reyes
Street, Avenida Pueblo Nuevo, Avenida Langosta, Avenida Mangle and
surrounding areas.The Saga Humane Society would like to thank the San Pedro Police Department in the recovery of their camera stolen from the clinic on Dec 7, 2009. Not only do we use this camera for our Pet of the Week but we like to record activities that happen around the Humane Society. The camera was usefully for recording cases of neglect and cruelty along with helping us to reunite lost pets with their owners. We love to take pictures of volunteers who stop by the Humane Society to lend a hand, walking dogs, painting, or doing general chores around the clinic. We can not thank the police enough for their help in returning this valuable piece of equipment to us. It is very much appreciated!! Saga Humane Society Volunteers and Staff Blue Water Grill, Caliente, and Red Ginger restaurants are proud to announce their recent partnership with Liberty Children's Home, a shelter for abandoned, abused and neglected children in Belize. Donations can be made at all three restaurants and every dollar that is raised will be matched. For example, if a customer donates 5 dollars, Liberty will get an additional 5 dollars from the restaurants. For more information about Liberty Children’s Home please visit their website: http://libertychildrenbelize.org To make a donation please visit one of our restaurants. Your support is greatly appreciated. Thank you!
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© SAN PEDRO DAILY, PO Box 45, San Pedro Town, Belize. Inquiries to editor@sanpedrodaily.com |
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