A man is hospitalized following a midmorning shooting in Belmopan. Love News spoke to the officer in Charge of Belmopan Police Superintendent Aaron Guzman.

Superintendent Aaron Guzman, Officer in Charge Belmopan Police

“The Police got a call at the Belmopan Station about ten minutes after 11 o’clock this morning that someone had been shot. This occurred in the court yard, or the compound for the Magistrate Court. A person was shot, as far as we know, it is an injury or a gunshot wound to the right side of the injured person’s face. He did speak to the Police and he did say who shot him. Apparently he was in a conversation with one person and that person’s friend walked up to him, pulled out a handgun and shot him to the side of the face. As far as we know from the hospital he is in a critical but stable condition. We are looking for one Broaster also known as Chronic, he resides in Roaring Creek and we are looking for him.”

Ava Diaz, Love FM

“The person who got shot was he coming from court, involved in the curt system?”

Superintendent Aaron Guzman, Officer in Charge Belmopan Police

“I’m not sure if he had a court case today but I can tell you that some relatives of his who were involved in an altercation on Friday were attending Magistrate Court. It could be that he was waiting for those two persons, if he himself was attending court, I am not sure if he was one of the persons attending court.”

The victim has been identified as Noel Herrera. Superintendent Guzman told Love News that the suspect Michael Broaster was handed into to police just before five this evening. Investigations into the incident continue and a motive for the crime has not been ascertained.

Mayor Zenaida Moya will once again be leading the United Democratic Party’s Slate in the upcoming 2009 Municipal Elections. Mayor Moya defeated her opponent, Deputy Mayor Anthony Michael at the polls yesterday following the largest municipal convention in the party’s history. Results came in just before nine this morning and Mayor Moya topped the polls with 3961 votes over Michael’s 2916 votes.   We spoke to Mayor Moya this morning just before the results were officially received.

Mayor Zenaida Moya

“The turn out went very well despite the weather people still came out. We had over six thousand, six hundred and something votes plus a number of spoilt ballots but there is a lot of people who turned back. I know I had one of the councilor candidates that was campaigning along with me who said that a lot of his people came and turned back because they did not want to wait in the lines which was not in out favor but none the less we did well. In the area of Port Loyola they got 8 votes over me and in the area of Collet, they got 30 votes over me. All the other areas I won.”

We also spoke with Deputy Mayor Anthony Michael before the official release of the results and he congratulated Mayor Moya and pledged to work along with her for the benefit of the residents of Belize City.

Deputy Mayor Anthony Michael

“I want to congratulate Mayor Zenaida Moya on her victory; I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the Belizean public on large; to my supporters who came out and voted for me and for the supporters who came out and voted for Mayor Zenaida Moya and all the other candidates. I can’t fault anyone for my defeat, I think the nation benefitted on a whole yesterday. I want to ask my entire campaign staff and all the voters who voted for me, it is time for us to unite behind the United Democratic Party for the benefit of this city. I will come out and I will endorse Mayor Zenaida Moya, I will unite behind her and I will ask my supporters to do the same as we go to March 1^st next year against the People’s United Party and any other candidates as such.”

The ten councilors that were elected to run on the slate along with Moya are incumbent Councilor Wayne Usher with 2979 votes followed by newcomers Eric Chang and Andrew Faber with 2970 and 2756 votes respectively. Incumbent Laura Esquivel received 2641, followed by Dion Leslie with 2466, Roger Espejo with 2462, Kevin Singh with 2442, incumbents Phillip Willoughby with 2440 votes, Dean Samuels with 2337 votes and Leila Peyrifitte with 2321 votes. We asked Moya whether or not she is prepared to work with the 4 incumbent councilors that clearly went against her in this convention.

Mayor Zenaida Moya

“We will have to meet. I mean obviously we will have to meet. At the end of the day everybody has to, at least if they are professional, everybody has to respect the decision of the people and who ever wins have to sit down and ensure that we understand that we will have to work together not only from now until March but possibly for another 3 years, at least those whoever wins.”

At the end of it all Mayor Moya credited her victory to the people of Belize City and her hard work.

Mayor Zenaida Moya

"I really want to thank everybody. This was a team effort. I mean going through all that I had to endure and those people around me had to endure, because I had a lot of supporters that have been disappointed with what had happen and so its not only myself. It’s those around me as well and my supporters. So I just want to thank all those people who have continued to have confidence in me. I want to thank a lot of people that have been there, the different committees and again all the people of Belize City who came out to support me, my family, my friends, I just really want to thank everybody and again this victory is for the people.”

Residents of 10 constituencies took part in the convention held yesterday at the Belize City Center. An unprecedented 34 councilor candidates took part in the convention.

Belize Telemedia Limited and the Income Tax Department were back in court today. Janelle Chanona reports from the Magistrate’s Court.

Janelle Chanona reporting…..

“Belize Telemedia and the Income Tax Department were back in court today over assessed business tax arrears. According to Income Tax Commissioner, Eric Eusey Telemedia and two of its subsidiaries, BTL Digicell and Business Enterprise Systems Limited owed $4,152,106.13 for the months of June and July. However this morning the company’s attorney Elson Kaseke maintained that in fact his clients don’t owe any taxes under the accommodation agreement and furthermore that the recently amended tax laws allowed that disputed assessment be held over until the determination of an appeal. Kaseke told Revenue Magistrate Ed Usher “Payable does not mean pay, it means due. This concept, that this is a pay now act is totally misconceived by the very provisions of the Act.” But the Income Tax Department attorney, Lois Young strenuously rebutted Kaseke’s position, blanketly telling the court “This particular tax payer has no intention of paying taxes unless ordered to.” Young went on to point out several sections of the law which stipulates that assessed amounts are due and payable without further demand and that the chief collector shall enforce payment irrespective of an appeal or review. Magistrate Ed Usher has adjourned the matter until Thursday morning.”

She has been vocal in the call for young people to end violence and was instrumental in putting together a number of community activities to this end. On Saturday night community activist Therese Felix passed away after suffering an asthma attack. In May of 2006 24-year-old Tyrone Felix was shot and killed and his mother Therese Felix along with other grieving mothers used the sad incident as the basis for the formation of the group Mothers organized for peace. The group organized a number of activities including basketball tournaments and a book and school supplies drive. In September of last year the group lead by Therese Felix and other community activists organized a rally for peace following a number of shootings primarily in Belize City. In December of last year Therese Felix suffered another blow as her 16-year-old son Faron Felix was shot and killed a short distance from home. This followed an attempt on the life of yet another son. Love News spoke to Felix after the man accused of the murder of Tyrone Felix walked out of court a free man after the prosecution entered a nolle prosequi. At the time Felix expressed her frustration with the system however she vowed to continue her fight to end violence in her community.

The Association of Protected Areas Management formally presented a document to the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation titled Assessment of Priority Tourism Policies Recommendation and Action Plan. The document presents recommendations for the inclusion of Biodiversity Conservation in Tourism Policies. Yvette Alonso, coordinator with APAMO tells us how important these recommendations are.

Yvette Alonso, Coordinator – APAMO

“It is the result of a national assessment that was done of the tourism policies of Belize with the aim of establishing or developing recommendations and an action plan to integrate biodiversity conservation and sustainable development into our national tourism policies. Recognizing that the Belize Tourism Industry is strongly rooted in its nature based attractions. The rich resources of protected areas, we felt it important to be able to carry out this initiative so that we can ensure that we are providing a greener more eco-friendly tourism product which the trends are showing is what the travelers are looking for.”

It is our responsibility to protect our heritage for the future generation and that reason we need to strengthen the link between conservation and tourism. As a major income earner for many Belizeans tourism contributes 17 percent of GDP. This does not give us license to carelessly pursue the benefits of tourism without being eco-friendly. In his address Minister of Tourism and Aviation, Manuel Heredia, stressed this point.

Honorable Manuel Heredia, Minister of Tourism and Aviation

“While tourism has contributed significantly to our local economy, if it is not managed properly can have a negative impact on out collective ability to protect our likelihood and way of life. We must therefore guard zealously the use of the natural and cultural resources of Belize. As we are confronted with the effects of climate change and erosion on a large scale we must move to put in the safety nets that will help us to maintain the integrity of the environment. Local authorities, NGO’s, civil society, the tourism private sector and other stakeholders need to become more involved in making recommendations that strengthen the link between conservation in Belize. Our administration agrees that it is important to encourage a more holistic approach in the decision making process.”

The document includes an action plan to ensure that our national tourism integrates the conservation of our natural resources.

Yvette Alonso, Coordinator – APAMO

“A major component of this initiative involves a consultative process to analyze current policies and receive critical feedback and recommendations from key stakeholders; including members from civil society, the NGO community, the public sector and the private sector with the purpose of developing this action plan to guide the implementation process of making biodiversity conservation and sustainable development more integrated in these policies and industry planning. It is not stopping here at this document but APAMO will be looking at how it can spear head continued work in this area.”

The action plan includes a detailed list of components that at the end of the day should result in the maximization of the benefits of tourism without negatively affecting biodiversity.

With a report from Cayo here is Richard Merrill.

The Belize Livestock Producers Association held their annual general meeting on Saturday at their headquarters in Belmopan. Four members of the Board of Directors were elected including three who have previously served. Those include John Carr of the Cayo District, John Dyck of the Orange Walk District and Edward Longsworth of the Corozal District. Leanides Sanchez of the Toledo District was elected to his first term on the board. In introducing the financial report to the membership, Treasurer John Carr said that there were several issues that he wanted to mention first. One was the importance of tuberculosis and brucellosis testing to make export of live animal possible. He noted that the Mexican Ambassador was a special guest at that the meeting and that Mexico is prepared to import cattle from Belize if al requirements are met.

John Carr; Treasurer of the Belize Livestock Producers Association

“This is going to be a big giant step forward in improving the economy of the livestock industry and I bring it up as treasurer. How excited I am to be able to be part of this thing as it happens because it is very important. We need the foreign market so bad that it’s very important and we just want to thank the enthusiasm of Mister Moreno and Mister Saldivar for being here and helping us with this situation."

Carr emphasized the need for the members of the association to be enthusiastic about the work of the association.

John Carr; Treasurer of the Belize Livestock Producers Association

“If it was not for this association we would have less and the only way we are going to go forward is to have an exciting association with people that are interested and willing to make a sacrifice to make the thing better. If you are not willing to make the sacrifice to make the thing better, it aint going to happen, so you have to be excited about your association.”

Carr said the work of the association can be compared to building the foundation of the house.

John Carr; Treasurer of the Belize Livestock Producers Association

“We are laying a foundation. After you finish the house you don’t even see the foundation, but if the foundation is not put down properly then the house will fall down. So we are in the foundation business and it seems like we are wasting time building a foundation but that is exactly what we are doing so we are building a foundation.”

John Carr, Treasurer of the Belize Livestock Producers Association speaking at Saturday’s Annual General Meeting in Belmopan.

Reporting from Cayo for Love FM News I am Richard Merrill.

Belize City police are looking into a report by 28-year-old Marvin Anderson an office assistant of Belize City. Anderson told Police Friday night about eight-45 he was at the Texaco Gas Station at the corner of Central American Boulevard and Cemetery Road when he was approached by Albert Flowers. Anderson said Flowers took out a firearm and pointed it in his face.

50-year-old Hui Juan Liu of Mahogany Street has reported to Police that about one o’clock Saturday morning her home and business was burglarized. Liu said three men wearing masks over their faces burglarized the upper flat of her two storey building. She said the men tied her hands and feet and robbed her of $1,300.00 in cash and a Samsung cellular phone. Liu said the men then went downstairs to her shop and stole a metal safe containing 10 thousand 250 dollars in cash and 700 dollars in coins, telephone cards and 10 cartoons of cigarettes. Liu estimates her loss to be 14 thousand 425 dollars.

Police have made a number of arrests in connection with drug related offences over the weekend. In the first incident no one was arrested after police found suspected cannabis in a yard last Friday. Reports are that police searched an open lot on Nurse Finley Crescent around 11 on Friday morning where they found 4.1 kilos of suspected cannabis.

In the second, shortly after four o’clock yesterday morning police conducted a search at the home of 26 year old Alvin Puc in Succotz Village. The search resulted in the discovery of a plastic bag containing 259 point two grams of suspected cannabis. Puc has since been arrested and charged for drug trafficking.

In the third incident, around seven-15 last night, 27- year-old Geoffrey Erales was arrested and charged for drug trafficking. Police reports are that officers conducted a search on Erales and discovered 107 point five grams of suspected cannabis in a knapsack that he was carrying.  

This month is being observed as oral health month. Official ceremonies were held this morning at the Bliss Centre for the Performing Arts. As the distributors of Colgate Grace Kennedy Belize Ltd is organizing the events that are being held in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and the Belize Dental Society. Mike Bardales is one of the Organizers for the month of activities.

Mike Bardales; Event Organizer

“So what we do basically this month, we have the public aware of oral health and we also conduct various dental screening in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and the Dental Society. We also do school visits to primary schools in Belize City such as Saint Luke’s, Saint John’s Vianney and at the end we want the children involved to be aware of what they need to do for this month and for always. Oral Health Month has to do a lot with how to take care of our bodies so the aspect of taking care of the teeth is very important.”

The activities will include visits to schools across the country to stress the importance of brushing and flossing and the importance of Oral Health in overall health. Free Dental Scanning for the public will be available at specific Health Centers in the Belize City as well as other districts.