Residents of our sister island Caye Caulker were awakened on Monday, November 23, at about 2:00 in the morning by huge fire that completely destroyed four buildings and left two partially damaged.

According to Kenneth Mortis, Training Officer of the National Fire Service, the Caye Caulker Fire Station received a call at about 2:23 a.m. about a fire coming from a Cabaña at Ocean Pearl Royal Hotel.

Police, along with island residents, acted together and formed a bucket brigade to assist in outing the fire as the small pump belonging to the fire department was malfunctioning. A local resident also rendered some aid by providing a water pump and members of the San Pedro Fire Department also arrived to help extinguish the blaze out our neighbors in Caye Caulker.

Ocean Pearl Royal Hotel, where the fire started, was totally destroyed; it belonged to Efrain Novelo which was estimated at $40,000. A residential two storey newly constructed building belonging to Haywood Curry estimated at $320,000 and two wooden two storey buildings belonging to Costa Maya Beach managed by Julian Rosado estimated at $400,000 were all destroyed by the fire.

“We were told by the occupants of the cabaña, where the fire started, were burning a fish coil and that that could have been what started the fire,” commented Mr. Mortis. “We do not want to just go by what we were told so our investigations still continue. What I can assure is that the fire was not due to any electrical problem or negligence of unattended stoves and so forth.”

The damage estimate stands at roughly $700,000 and nothing was insured. A Danish couple who stayed in the Ocean Pearl Royal Hotel where the fire started were detained and questioned by both police and fire personnel but were released without charges.

The Caye Caulker Fire Department consists of two firemen and one had the day off and was not on the island the morning of the fire. Residents of Caye Caulker are asking for more fire fighters and new equipment for the fire department.

It is a dream for many little San Pedranas to be told that they are a princess, well sometimes dreams do come true. On Saturday, November 21, 2009 the R. Angel Nuñez Auditorium was filled with laughter and excitement as seven “princesses” took the stage to show off their talent vying to win the title of Lil’ Miss SPHS 2009.

The event started with the introduction of the seven beauties who showed off their dancing skills in a group dance. This started the show off with a bang. The princesses then dazzled the crowd with four other sections of the competition which included a Culture Competition (displaying the different cultures of Belize), Swimsuit Competition (showing off their amazing modeling skills), Talent Competition (with impressive singing & dancing which made it even harder for the judges) and the Evening Wear Competition (displaying their beautiful dresses).

Entertaining the crowd between the competition segments was San Pedro High School’s successful band Rock In Peace. The judges had the hardest task of the night after experiencing the competition that these little girls brought on stage. It is a fact that San Pedro has talent. The contestants were called back on stage as it was time for crowning.

At the end of the competition it was announced that Nayobi Rivero was crowned San Pedro’s first Lil’ Miss SPHS, and the crowd went wild with much excitement. There were two other lucky little girls who got crowned that evening including: Divia Wadhwa 2nd & Miss Photogenic and Lisandra Novelo 3rd. The Night was very entertaining; another great success for San Pedro High School.

– by Gerry Badillo

A press release from the Ministry of Works sent out on Monday, November 23, indicated that the Belize Bureau of Standards’ ongoing market surveillance, as well as based on complaints received via its consumer protection hotline, shows that there is an urgent need to address issues affecting consumers, in particular that of the sale of expired goods and the overall quality of non-perishables offered for sale in the domestic market.

In an effort to strengthen collaborating efforts in protecting consumer interests, the Belize Bureau of Standards met with key partners which include the Ministry of Labor, Local Government and Rural Development and the Mayor’s Association of Belize. The objective of the meeting was to identify specific measures that could be implemented in each municipality to effectively monitor the market, ensuring consumer health and safety is maintained in the consumption of goods at all levels.

It is no surprise to find quite a number of expired products on the shelves of some stores on the island, but the problem is that the situation is not being rectified which has allowed these shop owners to put the health of consumers at risk without any repercussions.

Many local businesses in the island have the tendency of selling expired products at half price or simply removing the expiration date and selling it for the regular price. Businesses should be aware that it is an offense to break the laws under Chapter 31 of the Public Laws of Belize, to have on sale unwholesome food for public consumption. Businesses are taken to court when problems of this nature persist or when the offense is repetitive.

The press release states that the Bureau, along with other key stakeholders (representatives of the Ministry of Health, NAVCO, General Sales Tax, Office of the Solicitor General, the Customs Department and the Belize Chamber of Commerce) will meet on December 1, to formalize a Memorandum of Understanding that will effectively safeguard the interest of consumers.

The general public is asked to be aware of what they are purchasing and to read the label of the products and check the expiration date.

Guidelines on how long some food products are good.
* Refrigerated steaks and roasts should be used within three to four days after purchase.
* Ground meats, fresh poultry and raw fish should be used within one to two days after purchase.
* Milk, cream, cottage cheese and cream cheese are good for a week after opening.
* Hard cheeses that are tightly wrapped are good for two to three months.
* Eggs are good for three to four weeks. Keep them refrigerated.
* Cooked or uncooked vegetables are good in the refrigerator for three to five days.
* Bread, cake and cookies (or anything made from a batter with yeast or wheat) should be used within a week to avoid mold.
* Baked goods will last longer (two weeks) if refrigerated.
* Leftover chicken, gravy, sauce, chicken or tuna salads and turkey pies are only good for one to two days.
* Mustard, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and other condiments should be used within a year of opening the container.
* Mayonnaise, once opened, is good for two months.
* Open bottles of salad dressing are good for three months.
* Ketchup, jams, jelly and peanut butter are good for six months. If you cannot remember when a food was placed in the refrigerator, throw it out.

Many people do keep their food longer than the above guidelines. If you keep your food longer, make sure you check it each time to see that it has not turned moldy, slimy, stinky, rancid or otherwise rotten. Always check the food BEFORE you taste it.

International celebrity Chef Keith Jones arrived in Belize last week and spent days “taking in” paradise and filming “Taste of Belize” a new culinary show that will air in Colors TV Dish Networks.

Colours TV entices its viewers to join Chef Keith Jones, for a unique “Eatertainment” experience, while he travels across Belize, as the “culinary ambassador to the world.” In each episode, Jones will meet vibrant “people” within Belize. From local standouts to international visitors, Jones sets out in search of interesting people and amazing cuisine.

Before heading back home to the US, Ambergris Today got the opportunity to chat with Chef Jones and get his impressions of Belize.

*AT - How was your experience filming in Belize?
Chef Jones - “I was blown away on this my first trip to Belize. I did not know what to expect, but this was a once in a lifetime experience for me.”

*AT – Any memorable moments in San Pedro?
Chef Jones – “I am not much of a swimmer, but after a little convincing, I had a wonderful experience at Shark Ray Alley. I saw a diver grab an octopus; I saw a couple of dolphins and then I ate some of the best food at Wish Willy Bar & Grill in Caye Caulker. I also had the opportunity to meet the Minister of Tourism and Mayor of San Pedro who were such a pleasure to talk to and see how down to earth they are. It is wonderful to see how approachable people in government office are in Belize. I got to visit various local restaurants and shops, talked to the locals and absorbed all the beautiful culture of your country. The Garifuna Settlement Day celebrations was quite an amazing experience as well.”

*AT – How do you think the filming of the show went?
Chef Jones – “I had a wonderful experience. The show more than just cooking; it’s a mixture of travel, culture and food. We filmed in San Pedro, Caye Caulker and Belize City. I met with the Film Commissioner of Belize who toured me in the City and had a wonderful time at Memorial Park where there was lots of food and dance.”

* AT – What is Chef Keith taking back with him?
Chef – “The pride of the people of Belize! All those smiling faces were amazing. There is so much pride in Belize, from the local fisherman selling his catch by the seaside to the person selling conch fritters on the street side. People in Belize are very friendly and I had many beautiful experiences with the locals. People came up to me to chat. There was this you boy who came up to me and said, “I saw you on TV.” Very shy but approachable; we don’t have that back home. This is very beautiful of your people.”

* AT – Any final words?
Chef – “I was honored to be part of this project and I cannot wait to come back to Belize, be it for the show or for pleasure.

Taste of Belize, which will be picked up by Dish Networks, will air on Colours TV and reach to about 19 million homes in the US. Filming in San Pedro took place at La Perla del Caribe, Las Terrazas, Portofino and Rendezvous Restaurant, including on board the famous Ras Creek boat in Caye Caulker. “Taste of Belize with Chef Keith Jones” will be six – thirty minute episodes that is due out on spring 2010.

The Standard VI classes at San Pedro RC School are hard at work on their assignment in Service Learning as part of their course, “Skills for Adolescence”. Their project is to collect toys that can be distributed at Christmas time to children in the hard-hit Toledo District.

“Skills for Adolescence” is a three-year positive youth development program sponsored by Lions Quest that addresses the challenges of living experienced by children 10 to 16 years of age. In addition to personal and social growth, it introduces students to the concept of service to the community in their final Primary School year- Standard VI.

Lions-Quest “Skills for Adolescence” originated in the United States in 1975 and has been part of the curriculum in Belize Primary Schools for five years. All the districts in the country use this program. Excellent texts and teaching guides are provided by Lions International.

The young people involved in Service Learning at San Pedro RC Primary School need the community’s support. The “Skills for Adolescence” teacher, Ms. Borland, urges individuals and businesses to be generous when the students come asking for inexpensive new toys in the next few days, or you can take your donations to the R.C. School – A Million Thanks in advanced to everyone.