7 News Belize

Mischief Makers Cried “Babylon” And Got Busted By Police
posted (February 11, 2011)
At 7 News we receive literally dozens of complaints against the Police on a regular basis. While the complaints vary, a most allege Police brutality and unlawful detention. And while many of the accusations do seem to have merit, there are those that are just made-up mischief.

Tonight police are proudly reporting two such incidences of mischievous acts.

The first occurred on Monday, February 7th, when 45 year old Maxwell Castillo, a welder of Caye Caulker Village reported that on Friday, January 28th he was on Albert Street in Belize city, waiting for a taxi when a gray four door pickup truck drove up and two Police officers jumped out with firearms and searched him.

Castillo alleged the officers seized $4,850.00 in cash, along with other valuables form home. Castillo stated he was taken to the Queen Street police station, released and told to return the following day to retrieve his properties - but he never got back the money. An internal police investigation was conducted into the matter, which led to a confession on the part of Castillo saying that in fact that he made a false report against the Police. He gave a Caution Statement admitting that he loaned his brother the money when he was in Seine Bight and didn't want his wife to find out, so he made the false report. Castillo was charged with committing a Mischievous Act.

The second incident took place on January 17th, when 25 year old unemployed Damian August a resident of Guerrero street in Belize city, filed a report of police brutality against two police officers, with the Internal Affairs division. It turned out that August had attempted to rob a bicycle belonging to Security Officer, Raymar Arana from his workplace, but was nabbed in the process by an alert citizen who punched him off the bicycle as he tried to flee. The man credited with stopping August and making a citizen arrest, Ian Wagner handed him over to a mobile patrol in the area at the time. August admitted to making a false report against the Police, and was charged with committing a Mischievous Act and Theft.


Accused of Sexual Relations With A 12 Year Old

Nineteen year old Maxwell Wade, a musician residing in Ladyville who allegedly had sex with a 12 year old female primary school student, was charged with carnal knowledge when he appeared today in the number one Magistrate's court.

Wade who was denied bail by Chief Magistrate Margaret McKenzie, was remanded into custody until March 23rd, due to the nature of the offence. The charge arose out of a missing child report filed with Police last year.

On December 4th, the minor is said to have run away from home, but she was located the following day by her father. After questioning by her parents and police, the minor named Wade as one of several friends she had socialized with at BTL Park and ended up having sex with that said night.

She added that it was not the first time she had sex with him. The girl was examined by a doctor who certified that she was carnally known.



The Valentine's Buzz In The City

Every February 14 - around the world - candy, flowers and gifts are exchanged between loved ones - all in the name of St. Valentine.

And in Belize, love is in the air, with florists, restaurants and nigh spots capitalizing on Cupid's cash flow. Monica Bodden found out how they're doing it:…

Monica Bodden Reporting
No matter how young or old you are - flowers can never go out of fashion or fail to make an impact.

At least that's what we were told at Florasol.

If you are thinking of gifting your Valentine flowers this year - you may want to check these bouquets out.

Solie Arguelles - Owner of Florasol
"It is the most hectic time and it becomes hectic like weeks and every day is hectic. We have flowers coming in at different times and people want flowers now not only on Valentine but leading up to valentine because maybe their valentine are out on Sundays or they may not at work on Monday, so it becomes a whole week of activity."

With its breathtaking fragrance and very unique beauty, our tropical flowers will also be playing a part in many floral arrangements - on Valentine Day.

Monica Bodden
"So far what has been the most requested floral arrangements."

Solie Arguelles - Owner of Florasol
"Really now it's a mixture because we are in Belize I always like to promote our tropical so I do a lot of mixtures and people like the mixtures simply because roses in the heat won't last as long as the rest of the flowers so I think my basic arrangement for about maybe a $30 arrangement is the basic one that sells the best."

And from what we saw today, the staff of Florasol is more than ready for the -day of love.

Solie Arguelles - Owner of Florasol
"This year we are lucky because Sunday we have a time to organize so Monday we are fit to go even if we have to work all night, it will be ready."

And while many would agree that Valentine's Day is a day for flowers and chocolate's,

Many are also looking forward to enjoy a romantic dinner.

One restaurant says they are offering a three course meal- all for under 40 dollars.

Evan Tillett - Owner of The View
"What we have plan is a very romantic dinner, it's really a 3 course meal, it comes with a choice of soup or salad for starters and then it takes you into a main course which is either shrimp, chicken or pork so you have options and it comes with different sides either potato croquettes or twice baked potatoes or it comes with grilled veggies as well as spicy tomato salad and then to top that all off with desert, we have red velvet cake and we also have like soufflé as another option. The meal also comes along with a valentine cocktail drink which is a special drink that we make in house."

Monica Bodden
"On Monday night people can expect all the candle lights and all that?"

Evan Tillett - Owner of The View
"All the bells and whistles. We will have different options in terms of dining. You can dine in our courtyard, in the main restaurant, you can even book the private room, the verandah or in the lounge and also on the roof top. We are going to do roof top dining for valentines."

And while many are making plans solely for Monday - those at the Radisson Fort George says they will be celebrating Valentine's all weekend.

Terez Tillett - Online Sales Manager, Radisson Fort George
"While we turn valentines into more than just the day, we have a month long special for our rooms and we also have two days of celebrations. On Sunday we are doing a brunch. Sunday night we are doing a dinner and Monday the day itself, we are having a special lunch and a special dinner. We got a grilled picana beef and thats going to be top with a very special sauce that chef Ainsley makes. it is absolutely delicious. The marsh potato is going to be a spinach marsh potato with a vegetable medley and we are also going to be having live musical entertainment by Mr. Richard Pitts, he is actually going to be performing on brunch on Sunday and on dinner on Sunday night and dinner on Monday night."

And the Radisson is having an entire month of romance.

Terez Tillett - Online Sales Manager, Radisson Fort George
"We have the entire month of February actually; we turn into our Radisson romance month. We are doing US$109 for any night of the month. And that's for two persons and it includes breakfast and of course the usual amenities that come with the Radisson Fort George, the use of the gym and our two pools, so it's going to be over at the end of February so make use of it while you can."

And if you are single, no need to be wondering what to do on Valentine's Night - since the Radisson is throwing a party for those without a Valentine.

Terez Tillett - Online Sales Manager, Radisson Fort George
"On Monday night, we are bringing a little tongue and cheek with valentine's day itself alongside the celebration of love and the celebration of romance that we are embarking on this weekend, we are also doing a party on our 7th floor. It's the top floor of the club tower, it has a magnificent view of the city, its outdoors; we catch the sun setting and we celebrate those of us who are still single and not necessarily mad about valentine's day and all of that entails so for right now it's being called the loveless party and it will happen about 5 o' clock in the evening until about 9 to 9:30."

Monica Bodden
"Now before I go I want to ask you one last thing. What does the red rose actually symbolizes?"

Solie Arguelles - Owner of Florasol
"The red is love, each of them now in the floral business have a symbol like yellow is friendship and peach is courage and white is for peace and mourning but the red now - everybody know that when you get a red rose is because somebody really cares so I think it's been basic from floral industry started so that's what it's all about - love."

Terez Tillett - Online Sales Manager, Radisson Fort George
"Romance, it's never dies, its ageless, it's timeless and it should always be celebrated. Valentine's day gives you that opportunity to maybe be a little creative it's fun to hear I love all year round. But a couple out of the month or couple days out of the year you take the time to make an effort to really impress upon this person what you feel about them and how they inspire you and how they have change your life."

Monica Bodden
"Any valentines specials for those love birds?"

Evan Tillett - Owner of The View
"Well I only have one love and that's my wife so Happy Valentine's Suzette."



Restore Belize Encourages Community Love

And while those commercial ventures are doing their Valentine Thing, Restore Belize is also inviting everyone to join in on their campaign called "To Belize with Love" as a part of the Valentine's Celebration. It is a community challenge which starts at on Saturday morning and Carry Wong K, a restore Belize Volunteer stopped by our studios this morning, to tell us just how you can get involved:

Carry Wong K, Restore Belize volunteer
"Tomorrow from 11 am to 1 pm RESTORE Belize and the I am Belize campaign are challenging Belizeans to come on out and do something to show that you love Belize, so that could be wherever you are in whatever capacity you can. we are promoting values such as education, civic pride, patriotism, unity, courtesy and respect so for example civic pride - our office is going out on the northern highway and we are cleaning up from the airport junction all the way up to the Lord's Bank junction and that will be us and whoever else wants to join. There is a group out in Ontario who has called in and email Restore Belize and said that they organize a youth group and they are going to be doing clean up in the area. So they are doing the civic pride stuff. I know some people who will be driving on the road, they will call in a radio station and say that "I love Belize" so that kind of thing."

"We are doing 11am to 1 pm so that if you want to give a plate of food to someone, let's say within the time frame, you could do like a soup giveaway or a food giveaway or find a homeless person and give them a plate of food. You can also do something like taking a child who has never been outside of Belize City to maybe Cayo. Educations is about our country and thing we have to offer; or to Altun Ha - that kind of thing."

Monica Bodden
"How did this initiative actually came about?"

Carry Wong K, Restore Belize volunteer
"Well with the Restore Belize/ I am Belize campaign we are trying to get Belizeans involve in taking back our country and giving our self or reinstating the values that we have already had. Growing up you hear Belizeans talking about how Belize use to be nice and you talk to your neighbors and people have courtesy and one would get out of his bus seat to give an old lady a chair and those kinds of things. And because it's been so prominent in our society and it's also been missing recently, we want to restore that with the I am Belize campaign we want Belizeans to know that they have the power in their hands, so that's how it came about. But To Belize With Love Campaign came about in honor of valentine's day because we want to do something special for someone special. Belize is special to us who are living here who are from here even Belizeans abroad are encourage to do something for Belize wherever they are."

Restore Belize encourages everyone to take pictures and videos of their kind gesture tomorrow and e-mail them at restorebelize@opm.gov.bz. Your images will be aired on local TV.



"L" is For….

And while Love will be the thing this weekend, in the city, it will also be about the other "L" word, Lobster! We know all about Lobster fests in San Pedro, Caye Caulker and Placencia - but now Belize City is getting in on the crustacean commemoration. The first ever city Lobster Fest will be held at the Birds isle on Sunday.

The fest starts at 11 o'clock on Sunday - at Bird's Isle. Tickets are 5 dollars and 2 dollars for children under 10 years old.


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