Caye Caulker Lobster Fest Committee says Thanks

Miss Stephanie Arce, Miss Caye Caulker Lobster Fest 2010-11, had her official photo shoot on September 18th, 2010.

The shoot was made possible through:
The Victoria House in San Pedro that provided a beautiful location, accommodations and warm hospitality (http://www.victoria-house.com/).

Emil Alvarez of Emil Alvarez House of Couture from Orange Walk (610-0512). Mr. Alvarez is a dress designer who custom made outfits to fit beautifully. His designs can be found on FaceBook.

Maya and Colette - talented photographers of Conch Creative from San Pedro (http://www.conchcreative.com/). TOP NOTCH, San Pedro boutique that provided gorgeous accessories and shoes. And last but not least, the communities of both Caye Caulker and San Pedro for always supporting a worthy cause.

Thank you all for helping us create beautiful memories, the results are clearly gorgeous. The Caye Caulker Lobster Fest Pageant Committee and Miss Lobster Fest 2010-11, Miss Stephanie Arce, thank you for this amazing opportunity. The Committee is also proud to announce that Miss Stephanie Arce is currently enrolled at St. John College Junior College.

Thank you.
/s/ Ernesto Marin Jr.
Caye Caulker Lobster Fest Committee

Belize Mission Project is back in Belize!

The Belize Mission Project, spearheaded by Dr. Frank Whipps, is back in Belize for its 19th year. Through the years this project has been brightenning the smiles of residents across the country of Belize, with their base of operation being San Pedro. The group of 43 volunteers arrived on San Pedro on Friday October 15th and started offering services on Monday October 18th, at the Lions Den. The group will be operating through Friday October 22nd between the hours of 8:00am and 5:00pm. Services offered include extraction, cleaning and filling. The general public is invited take advantage of this free, much needed service being provided.

Taste of Belize 2010 winner Calbert Santiago (D Deck Restaurant)

Congratulations to the winners of this years Taste of Belize.

Calbert Santiago (D Deck Restaurant)

List of winners from the 9th Annual Taste of Belize:

Winners for Professional Chef at 9th Annual Taste of Belize:

1st: Calbert Santiago - D Deck Restaurant

2nd: Jason De Campo - Global Spice

3rd: Luis Cawich - The Villas at Banyan Bay / Rico's Bar & Gril

Winners for Best of Belize at 9th Annual Taste of Belize:

1st: Orange Walk

2nd: Dangriga

3rd: Hopkins

Crowd Favorite: Cayo

Winners for Bartending of 9th Annual Taste of Belize:

1st: Kendra Timons - Radisson Fort George

2nd: Marvin Argereth - Riverside Tavern

3rd: Mariano Coc - San Ignacio Hotel

Winners for Cake Decoration of 9th Annual Taste of Belize:

1st: Tamara Tingling

2nd: Diane Galvez - Self Employed

3rd: Sharon Mckay - Nazarene High School

Elvi's Kitchen

New Belize Passport Office inaugurated in Chicago

Deputy Prime Minister Vega inaugurates new Passport Office at the Consulate of Belize in Chicago, Illinois-Press Release - Belmopan, 15th October, 2010 - Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega today formally opened a new facility within the Honorary Consulate of Belize in Chicago, Illinois, United States of America. This facility is equipped to enable Belizeans in the area to apply for new machine readable passports. The new facility will serve thousands of Belizeans in the Chicago metro area who need to apply for passport renewals, and who previously had to travel very long distances to offices in New York, Washington, DC or Los Angeles to have access to these services.
During a small formal ceremony attended by several Belizean Community Leaders from Chicago, representatives of the Embassy of Belize in Washington, DC, and from the Consulate of Belize in Chicago, the Deputy Prime Minister stated that expanding and improving the Consular services to the Belizean Community overseas was an important element of the Diaspora Initiative, through which the Government of Belize has sought to reengage the Belizean community overseas in a strategic partnership for the development of our country.

The new office will be open to the public initially on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and all applicants will be received by appointment only. Depending on the demand, the office will also open on certain Saturdays. Belizeans wishing to make an appointment should contact Mrs. Debbie Schell, Honorary Consul of Belize in Chicago, at telephone number 847 759 9833. The Honorary Consulate of Belize in Chicago is located at 780 Lee Street, Suite 109, Des Plaines, Illinois, 60016.

Fugitive Gabriel Salazar handed over to Belizean Police

Belizean fugitive Gabriel Salazar, who was wanted for murder and the Spanish Lookout Scotia Bank robbery, is in Police custody. Salazar, who is originally from San Pedro Town, was placed on a Maya Regional flight from Honduras to Belize and was escorted by immigration and police personnel on Wednesday October 13th.

Salazar was held in Honduras in protective custody to testify in the case against the police officers who shot him and his two accomplices, Benjamin Peters and Alexander Edwards. It is reported in the Prensa Libre Newspaper in Honduras that the three entered Honduras through the Aguas Caliente border station in Guatemala, where Honduran customs officials searched their bags and found guns. The newspaper reports explained that the three men were taken to the police station around 3:00am on Sunday, September 26th and were told that they would be transferred into the custody of the office of the Public Ministry. While they were being transferred, the police officers who were taking them allegedly stopped the vehicle at a place called El Sitio De La Union in the Copán district and ordered them out. The newspaper report further stated that they were made to lie down on the roadside, where they were instantly shot to the head. The officers drove away; leaving them for dead, but villagers of the area took them to a local hospital where the injured Salazar was the only one to survive and was held under protective custody.

Salazar was wanted for the March 30th armed robbery when four men entered the Spanish Lookout Branch of Scotia Bank in Belize and made off with over $300,000.00BZ. During the robbery a KBH security guard, 32 year old Steven Lopez was shot and killed. Salazar and his accomplices managed to evade Belizean enforcement agencies and ended up in Honduras.