Other efforts to catch the LionFish are being encouraged and several organizations have mounted an educational campaign to alert residents about the lion fish perils. SeaSports Belize for instance, who are a local tour company in Belize City have issued posters of the LionFish which encourages the catching of the species, “WANTED dead or alive”. Some negative impacts caused by the Lion Fish if allowed to become widespread, can cause further declines in fish and lobster populations. Impacts can mean less fishery products and reduction in reef health. Thus, divers are advised that although the lionfish are a beautiful sight it is just as dangerous and divers are asked to capture it by using a net or pushing it into a bag. Reporting the sighting and its location is the next best thing! Read more on this story in this week's edition of The Sun!

Library/Media Center complete for RC School

On Friday, January 16th, The San Pedro Roman Catholic Primary School held open ceremonies for the school library/media center. The library, which comes at a cost of $17, 000 dollars was a donation to the school from the Calendar Girls. Books for the library was also possible through a charitable organization called “Books for Belize,” which is being spearheaded by Eve and Ross Dirnback of Ambergris Parts.
On this day, students were acclimated to the center and were allwoed to browse thru the books. "A welcomed project", Principal Kay explained to us that the library will offer positive reeinforcements not only for students but teachers as well.

20 Million in reef damages estimated in WesterHaven mishap

The Westerhaven cargo ship remains grounded on the Belize barrier reef 32 miles from Belize City in an area near Caye Glory. Continuing rough seas have prevented the Department of Environment from making an official assessment of the damages, but reef expert Melanie McField who accompanied our asspciates 7NEWS to the scene yesterday on swollen seas has says the ship damaged 10,000 meters of reef which amounts to a dollar figure of twenty million us dollars. Today, Chief Environmental Officer Martin Allegria told us that information received so far suggests that the ship was on autopilot when it veered off course. Martin Alegria, Chief Environment Officer (DOE)

Martin Allegria, Chief Environmental Officer“Preliminary from my officers are that it was on autopilot apparently but even if a vessel is on autopilot, I mean you have to have some sort of safety mechanism; a person on watch should in case it goes out of the established route. Machines can go wrong sometimes. At this stage, at this specific point in time Jules it is difficult for me to tell you what the valuation is at this point in time. Why? Because we haven’t been able to get underneath or under the sea to see what and where this boat is specifically grounded on. The current legislation under section 29 of the Environmental Protection Act, it basically establishes a maximum of $200,000 for damage to the environment. However with assistance from the Port and other agencies, a case of that damage to the reef for example in this case proves to be due to negligence, wanton disregard, carelessness, that type of thing – of the captain in this case – the same legislation provides for us to be able to charge in the courts on those infractors three times the value of the damage.”
And while it passed without any publicity, about a month ago, another cargo vessel got stuck on the reef. The damages for that are not finalized but they are believed to be in the same range as this one – above ten million us dollars.

Beach posts removed

The deterioration of the beaches in San Pedro Town has time after time been blamed on the vehicular access to the beach front. In some instances, a number of actions have been taken to detour traffic to another access point. One of the areas that has been in the center of various standoff between local residents, local authorities and taxi operators is the corner of Sandpiper Street and the Beach Front just in front of Wet Willy’s Dock. Of recent, that access is now available to vehicular traffic in that area. For the past months, the posts have been moved from one location to another.

Mayor Elsa Paz explained that because the posts have become and issue of contention, a decision had to be made. “We have been back and forth with local residents in the area, business operators and taxi operators as to where the beach post should be placed,” she stated.
Mayor Paz explained that with the beach posts hindering access drivers would still make their way to the beach through other access points further down the road, something they [SPTC] had no control of. Mayor Paz ended by stating that the access was open temporarily since in early February the cobble stone project will commence from the roundabout and head to the end at the bridge in the Boca del Rio Area.

Mayor Paz advises motorist exert caution while using the beach front since it is widely used by pedestrians.

Cocaine loot washes up on shore!

25 kilos of cocaine are off the streets of San Pedro Town after a local resident turned the drugs in to police. According to the Head of the San Pedro Police Department Assistant Superintendent Dennis Arnold, at about 1:30 p.m. today, a resident who preferred to remain anonymous handed over to police a bag containing 25 packs of cocaine each weighing one (1) kilo. The drugs were found some two miles north of San Pedro Town along the coast near Palapa Bar.
Assistant Superintendent Arnold stated that the resident was travelling along the beach when he noticed a bag floating along the shoreline. When the male resident opened the bag, he noticed 25 packages neatly wrapped and suspected them to contain cocaine. The resident then proceeded to turn the drugs to the proper authorities.
Assistant Superintendent Arnold explained that about two weeks ago, the Police Department received information of a possible “wet drop” along the coast of Ambergris Caye. He said that as a result, members of the Anti-Drugs Unit were deployed to the area where they conducted a number of operations but none proved successful. Assistant Superintendent Arnold said that it is the largest amount of drugs turned into San Pedro Police Department since his taking control of the Coastal Executive Zone. While Arnold refused to give information as to the citizen’s identity, all he would say was that it was a law abiding citizen that has been working very closely with the police department to fight crime. Arnold applauded the action of the local San Pedro Town resident encouraging others to do likewise.

The drugs have been labelled as 'found property' and carry an approximate street value of $375, 000. Authorities claim that the drugs will be destroyed by fire.