SP receives condom vending machines!

In an attempt to increase awareness and promote community participation, the Ministry of Health signed an agreement on Tuesday with the San Pedro Aids Commission to install three (3) new condom vending machines in San Pedro. These fully mechanical machines are part of the Ministry of Health’s initiative project of strengthening Belize’s Multi-sectoral response to HIV and AIDS. According to Elvis Requena, Project Coordinator for the Ministry of Health, “there are 15 total machines that have been distributed; San Pedro gets three, Belize and Cayo have received the rest. Our plan is to continue with this project and acquire more machines to be placed all across the country,” he stated.

President of the SP AIDS Commission, Felix Ayuso signs the terms of agreement for mantaining the machines.
The machines have a capacity of six packs which holds three VIVE brand latex condoms each. To use it, one just needs to have $1.75 in its exact change, turn the knob after inserting the coin in the machine.
The machines will be installed at three locations: Jaguar’s, Amigos Bar and anyone wishing to have the last one established in their business place, kindly give Ayuso a call at (624) 9379.

Who dat?

Many people have lived here all their lives and have seen so many changes over the years. The biggest changes are the many faces of the various people walking down the streets. All of a sudden, we don't know who we pass by on the street at all. So, every week we will introduce you to someone new: a friend, your neighbor, anyone walking down the street. Six questions will be answered, who they are, what they do here, where they come from, when they came and why they chose to live here, and a little extra fun question. Hope you like this fun feature! Who: Ester Rodriguez
What: Waitress
Where: Corozal District
When: 9 months ago
Why: Work and seek better opportunities in life
Status: Committed

Pablo Ariola is Garifuna King

As part of the Garifuna settlement day festivities in Belize, Garifuna communities across the nation have embarked on their celebratory festivities and in San Pedro it is no different. On Saturday night, the Lions Den came alive with the thriving flag colors of black, yellow and white which was the host venue of the Garifuna King event. Music and dance were a huge part of their culture and on Saturday guests were treated to some good cultural presentations, the sounds of the beating drums and the chants and dance of the Garifuna men and women. Several men engaged in a ‘dance-off’ whilst other showcased their beating drum skills whilst they each made their skit presentation depicting their culture. Of the top three men; Andy Carr, Pablo Ariola and Delroy Zuniga presentation included a fisherman act, a drum scene and a cassava making act. At the end of the night, Pablo Ariola was crowned ‘Garifuna King’. Other activities during the week include: a drumming competition, and the re-enactment of their arrival to our shores. From their infectious music and dancing to their colorful clothing, Garifunas have no doubt left their blueprint on the Caribbean and Central America.

A melodious drum presentation at the beginning of the night..

A garifuna woman...
Dancing is an important part of the culture..

Men beating the primero and segundo drums...

a cultural representation of the punta dance...

Garifuna king contestants performed skits depicting a part of their culture...

And the winner is...
(from L to R) Delroy Zuniga (3rdplace), Pablo Ariola (GARIFUNA KING) and Andy Carr (second place).

We'll have more on this story in Thursday's edition of The San Pedro Sun!

Big Daddy's reclaims part of beach

In an effort to reclaim the beaches of San Pedro, businesses are going out of their way to bring back the 'white sandy beaches' that once was the sleepy village of San Pedro. The staff at Big Daddy's in particular have been hard at work filling up sacks with sand and reclaiming part of the beach since it has been washed away due to erosion. According to CEO of Big Daddy's Kenrick Campbell, the plan is get back the old beach that once stood and with several truck loads of sand and the man power they got, they wil be able to reclaim or slow down the erosion process in that area.

The 4 man crew hard at work...

Big Daddy's doing their share of the work..

A hard and grueling task, but the end result is well worth it...

4 to 5 truck loads of sand was brought it for the project...

Not only is the beach being reclaimed but Big Daddy's is also revamping and expanding its outside bar...

Other plans are to dredge part of the beach area but The Sun will have a story on that next week as work in that nature requires a dregding permit. Work started out several weeks ago and with a couple more weeks to go before the beach has been fully reclaimed, the men can be seen with shovels in hand and getting the work done. Kudos to the Big Daddy's crew!!

Mermaid's Sushi & Martini Bar

After a long hiatus, Fido’s courtyard once more welcomes patrons to come on over for great sushi and martinis. Formerly Rice ‘n’ Roll Sushi, Mermaid’s Sushi & Martini Bar once more offers all the local favorites, some with new twists, alongside new items and deliciously smooth, cool martinis.

Sushi Chef Sharon is at the helm of this venture, and has her touch with each roll that you sample and savor. Items are distinguished into categories like Nigiri, Nori Maki Rolls, Hand Rolled Cones, California Rolls, Hot & Spicy Rolls, Tempura and Specialty Rolls. The Red Rock Reefers and the ubiquitous California Rolls comfortably nestle alongside Seaweed Salad, Miso Soup, and Sashimi.
Customers can also revel in the space as they take in her creations. A calm Zen atmosphere, with touches of the exotic and oriental makes the meal an extraordinary one, and the perfect place for gathering with girlfriends, a romantic date night, or simply catching up for some relaxation after work. Be sure to wander over to the second floor of Fido’s Courtyard to indulge your taste buds in the exotic and delightful.

Drinks for the night included Coconut Pie & Silver Cloud. Sweet and creamy, rimmed with coconut flakes and topped with whipped cream, the Coconut Pie is liquid dessert. Silver Cloud is more like the silver lining on a cloud. It is a delicious concoction of sweet goodness, one that sneaks up on you and leaves you pleasantly sated...mmm...watch out for the bite from this one...it's oh so good...!

Mermaid’s Sushi & Martini Bar awaits you. Call 226-2564.