There was a boat
accident near San Pedro Town sometime around 3:10PM
today, Tuesday, February 21st. The Belize Port Authority
(BPA) has confirmed that the two vessels, namely Thanks
A lot Two owned by a local dive company and another
vessel 18 Degrees North owned by Robert Shiltz collided
at sea in front of the San Pedro Belize Tourism Board
office.
While the extent of damage to the boats is unknown at
this time, the collision injured two of the four
American tourists on board
.
The injured people were taken to the Los Pinos Clinic
for medical attention. According to the BPA, one female
passenger sustained injuries to the face and three of
her teeth were knocked out as a result of the impact.
Her husband, on the other hand, received injuries to the
knee and hip. When
arrived
at the clinic, the injured woman was seen wearing a neck
brace when leaving the clinic.
Preliminary report is that both vessels, 25 feet in
size, were travelling in opposite directions when they
collide some 500 feet from the shoreline.
was captained by Ernesto Bernadez.
The boat licenses from both captains are being withheld
while the vessels are under detention pending the
outcome of the BPA’s investigation.
Sometime around 11pm
Monday night, acting upon complaints received, SP
Police detained one Miguel Martinez, 32, of a San
Pedrito Area address. Martinez was detained and
brought to the SP Police Station and placed in a cell
with four other inmates.
According to reports, Martinez was acting disorderly
and apparently under the influence of alcohol. When
Police made checks sometime around 5am Tuesday, they
observed what appeared to be the motionless body of
Martinez on the floor of the cell. After attempts at
reviving him, and receiving no response, Dr. Javier
Zuniga was called. Zuniga certified him dead shortly
after.
UPDATE:
San Pedro Police is conducting an investigation
following the death of a detainee at the police
station. While there has been no official release, the
department confirmed to The San Pedro Sun that
sometime around 8:00AM on Tuesday February 21st, 32
year old Miguel Martinez was found dead inside his
cell. He was found by an on duty officer after he was
alerted by other detainees that Martinez was
motionless.
In speaking to stepfather of the deceased, Emmanuel
Diego,
The San Pedro Sun found out that
Martinez was detained on the beach following a report.
“According to Police he was detained after he was
walking with a machete in his hand. The police got a
call from a hotel saying that Martinez was with a
machete on the beach giving trouble. The security guys
from the hotel handcuff him and handed him over to the
police; that was around one in the morning. They
brought him here (at the station) and according to the
police, they put him in a cell along with other
inmates that were in there. According to them
[Police], it seems that Martinez was giving trouble
and was put in another cell by himself. By this
morning, he [Martinez] was dead.”
Police Press Officer, Rafael Martinez explained that a
detailed report would be made public following a post
mortem examination but said that the deceased was
certified dead shortly before 9:00PM by Dr. Javier
Zuniga. Martinez’s body was observed lying on his back
with a pair of handcuffs around his hands inside the
cell and fully clothed. Martinez had died some two
hours prior to being certified Zuniga explained.
According to Diego, while he was allowed to identify
Martinez from outside of the cell, he could not notice
if there was any signs of violence on the body. “The
prison bars were not open so that we could have
noticed what might have happened to him,” said Diego.
Family members visited the station in search for
answers regarding their dead relative. “I saw him
Sunday, crossing the bridge and nothing was wrong with
him; he seemed perfectly well. One day after, by
Tuesday morning, we got a call to say he is dead,”
explained a clueless Diego. While Diego did not want
to speculate what might have happened, he said that
the family will be anxiously awaiting the results of a
post mortem, which he expects could shine some light
into the death of Martinez.
After learning of the incident, Area Representative
Manuel Heredia Jr. visited the station where he met in
private with the Officer Commanding the San Pedro
Police Formation Dennis Arnold. According to Heredia
cellmates are being question to gather if there were
any forms of brutality being done while Martinez was
detained. “I want to ensure that the law follows its
course and that the family is satisfied with the
report that follows with the investigation,” explained
Heredia.
Meanwhile Martinez’s body has been transferred to
Belize City where a post mortem examination is
expected to be conducted later this week that will
determine the cause of death. According to the Police
Press Officer, a detailed report will be compiled
following the post mortem to ensure that there was no
negligence from the police.
San Pedro Sun
Study finds 60 percent
of Belizeans
overweight!
Urgent changes
needed
to improve diet.
The alarming
statistic that more than 60% of adult Belizeans are
either overweight or clinically obese has prompted
the Ministry of Health to launch a number of
food-based dietary guidelines, which the ministry’s
Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Peter Allen introduced
at the House of Culture in Belize City last Friday,
February 10.
Weight problems can cause a number of chronic
non-communicable diseases, even fatal health
conditions such as diabetes, and arteriosclerosis.
Weight problems also cause spinal injuries and even
some forms of cancer.
All of these can be prevented simply through proper
diet and exercise.
Minister of Health Hon. Pablo Marin found the
situation totally unacceptable, and he has therefore
appointed a multi-sectoral task force to draft
dietary guidelines which will help Belizeans to stay
in shape.
The Food and Agricultural Organization, which is at
the forefront of the campaign, has helped to draft
the new guidelines, which urge Belizeans to add more
local fruit and vegetables to their daily diet.
These foods give the stomach and intestines more
fiber and bulk on which the intestinal muscles can
work and push to give regular function.
Filling up with fiber cuts down calorie intake and
so reduces the likelihood of a person becoming obese
(fat).
Belizeans are being urged to eat more whole grain
and ground foods, since these foods help the body to
control blood sugar levels, reducing the chance of
diabetes, while giving a person more energy and
vitality.
Limiting intake of fats, sugar and salt is very
important. Avoiding fats reduces the chance of
becoming overweight or too fat. Avoiding salt
reduces the chance of hypertension and heart and
blood vessel diseases; and avoiding sugar keeps down
the calorie intake, which in turn increases the
likelihood that the body will burn off any fat
consumed in food.
Food can be flavored without salt by using natural
seasons as much as possible in food preparation and
cooking. These measures can also prevent high blood
pressure, blood circulatory diseases and some forms
of cancer.
Good hygiene is also important to practice when
buying, storing, preparing and cooking food, to
avoid diseases which may be carried in the food,
such as botulism poisoning and certain parasites
which affect pork.
The guidelines also encourage Belizeans to keep
active and to make physical activity a part of
their daily routine.
Regular exercise not only maintains good muscle tone
for a more attractive appearance. It boosts your
confidence and self-esteem, helps you sleep better
and reduces stress, and maintains a healthy body
weight to control hypertension and diabetes.
The Ministry of Health’s multi-sectoral task force
includes Arlette Shepherd, John Bodden and dietician
Robyn Daly of the Ministry of Health; Melissa Tucker
of the Ministry of Education; Dr. Abigail MacKay and
Lily Mahung of the University of Belize; Natalie
Gibson of the Belize Agriculture Health Authority;
Dr. Fernando Tzib of the National Food and Nutrition
Security Commission; Jose Trejo of the Bureau of
Standards; Jeannette Garcia of the Ministry of
Economic Development and Ava Pennil of the Ministry
of Human Development.
Ms. Daly, Dr. Tzib and Ms. Belizair Tucker also
addressed the launching ceremony, as did the Dr.
Jerome Thomas, regional representative for the
United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.
Reporter
NOTICES
A set of keys was
found last Sunday on the road between Palapa Bar
and Grand Caribe. They can be claimed at the
Palapa Bar by naming what's on the key ring..
*******************
Cook
Off- Italian
Join Saga Humane
Society Wednesday, February 22, 2012 6-9pm at
Ristorante DiCaprio. ITALIAN is the theme!
Located right in
the heart of San Pedro Town, on the beach, is
one of the newer restaurants, Ristorante
DeCaprio, our host of this months cook-off.
Italian is their
specialty so this ithe perfect place to hold an
ITALIAN cook-off. Asking all chefs and
cooks to come out and challenge our host for the
best ITALIAN dish of the night! Want to
try all the dishes…only $10Bz to sample them all
and vote for the winner! A family,
fun-filled evening for all!
*************************
Election Day
a Public and
Bank Holiday
Belmopan, 14th
February, 2012. Cabinet at its regular
meeting today,
Tuesday, 14th February, agreed that the
Election Day,
Wednesday,
7th March, 2012,
be designated
as a public and
bank holiday.
THOUGHT
OF THE DAY
A
blessed companion is a book!
A book that, fitly chosen,
is a life-long friend
Douglas Jerrod
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