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Maskall, Let There Be Water
posted (February 21, 2019)
And keeping it in Belize Rural North, we also asked Castro about the situation in Maskall. Reports out of his home village tell us that the water supply had been out for two weeks - a tremendous inconvenience to villagers. That;S what we got yesterday, but when we asked about ti today, he seemed very ready to answer:..





All Indians, No Chief At Fire Dept.

And from the villager water system, to the man in charge of the water pumps on the fire trucks…there's been no fire chief for 8 weeks since Ted Smith reached retirement age. Castro seemed in no rush to find a new chief:...





The Big FIBA February Dance

Tomorrow night, the Belize National Basketball Team will be competing in the 2nd round of the FIBA World Cup Americas qualifiers FIBA World Cup Championships, which will be played right here at the Belize City Civic Center.

The team is hoping that the general public will come out and support them, so that they can enjoy the full benefit of home-court advantage.

The tournament is a big deal because if Belize places first or second, they advance to the next round of the Tournament where they will meet the powerhouses of the hemisphere. But first, Team Belize has to take on Cuba, the Bahamas, and Antigua and Barbuda in this round.

Today, the Federation, and the national team members held a press conference to introduce themselves to the public, and to ask fans to come out this weekend.

Here's what the Federation's Secretary General had to say about the 3 back-to-back games that Belize will have to play:

Julian Murrillo - Secretary General, BBF
"We’re excited to announce that we’re embarking this weekend on what arguably are the biggest international basketball games in our history. We started this journey as a part of the FIBA World Cup tournament last year in July, and we were pleased to advance after achieving a silver medal to this next round now. This round is the second round, which enables, us if we are successful, to reach the final round of 16 in the FIBA World Cup tournament for the Americas. This weekend, we are faced with the challenge of going up against the Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda, and Cuba: 4 teams fighting for 2 spots. The top 2 teams advance to that final round of 16. Our success in this tournament would place us the furthest we’ve ever gone in international basketball in the history of the country. Therefore, we’re really counting on the support of fans from across the country for each of those games."

Paul Thompson - President, BBF
"In the Americas, we have 42 countries that participate in Basketball to try to go to a higher level, meaning the Olympics or the World Championship. Of these 42 countries there are 16 countries that are in Group A. In that group A, those 16 teams are divided into 4 groups, and so over the last year or so, basketball has been played within those 16 countries, and the bottom 4 countries have been relegated. In this tournament, we have 2 of those countries participating, and those 2 countries are Cuba and the Bahamas. Belize and Antigua and Barbuda are trying to advance to that 16. And so, the competition here this weekend will be very formidable, having Bahamas and Cuba being relegated."

Devin Daly - Member, National Basketball Team
"I’m just thankful for another opportunity to play basketball and represent the country of Belize."

Jihad Wright - Member, National Basketball Team
"Everybody here is confident in what we could do, confident in our coaching staff, confident in Milt. We just believe that we could move on. So, we’re just going to come, play our best, and play hard."

Tyrone Hall - Member, National Basketball Team
"Just like what he said, we’re very confident with the coaching staff, with the players that we have, and we’re just gonna go out there and play hard and try to advance."

Edgar Mitchell - Member, National Basketball Team
"I’m grateful for the opportunity to represent my country, and I’m begging to the Belizean public to come out and support us because I think that will propel us to the next tournament."

Milton Palacio - Head Coach, National Basketball Team
"I think if we win all three, we’re in. It’s a thing where you don’t wanna win 2 and start wishing that someone else wins, or somebody wins by this many points, and then it’s a points game. We don’t wanna play that. So, the biggest thing [is] we wanna take care of ourselves and win all 3. But the first thing is Antigua tomorrow night."

Team Belize takes on Antigua and Barbuda on Friday night in their first game of this round of the tournament.





The Mystery of the Mexican

There's been quite a bit of furor raised about last week's detention of Mexican Gonzalo Herrera Castilla in San Pedro.

He's a former Mexican government official who served in the Ministry of Public Management in the Mexican State of Quintana Roo - and Mexican media reports say he is wanted for the offense of 'Illicit use of Power.'

Police detained him in Belize last Thursday for illegal entry and suspected money laundering. We are told the FIU was looking at 14 thousand US dollars at his home for the possibility of money laundering. But, after holding him unlawfully for 5 days, he was released on Tuesday - facing a minor immigration charge.

Today police told us about their involvement in the case:

ASP Alejandro Cowo, OC, CIB Belize City
"On Thursday morning San Pedro police along with Customs department personnel they conducted a search at the residence of Gonzalo Abelardo Herrera Castilla, 50 year old national of Chetumal Quintana Roo. As a result, customs and police found unaccustomed goods and as a result he was detained. He was charged based on the customs act. He paid his fine and thereafter immigration checked his status. He was also charged by immigration and he paid his fine. There was another Mexican national along with him by the name of Manuel Villanueva, 40 year old of the same Chetumal Quintana Roo. He was charged by customs for falsifying a document. He also paid his fine and both are out at the moment."

Reporter:
"what about the $29,000 estimated in cash?"

ASP Alejandro Cowo
"That matter was dealt with by the FIU and it was taken to court and I believe it was withdrawn from the court."

Reporter:
"The matter of the boat as well, they were trying to register it in a Belizeans name?"

ASP Alejandro Cowo
"Yes the boat has been confiscated by customs department."

Reporter:
"I understand that one if not both of these men are wanted by interpol for crimes allegedly committed in their home country?"

ASP Alejandro Cowo
"Yes we are aware that one of them is wanted in Mexico however, we need to understand that they cant be detained in Belize if we have no apparent reason to detain them, yes if there is a warrant abroad we have to go through a process before his detention is done. There is a process that need to be done before arresting him."

Reporter:
"Doesn’t that render him a flight risk?"

ASP Alejandro Cowo
"It does but we have to go with the process we have to follow."

The complication in the case is that Castilla cannot be treated as a Mexican because we have learned that he has applied for Belizean nationality by descent because he claims one of his ancestors is Belizean. Belizeans cannot be deported, they must be extradited.

According to reports, Castilla held a high office in the government of ex-governor Angulo who headed the government of Quintana Roo from 2012-2016. The san Pedro Sun reports that in July of 2017, Castilla avoided going to jail after meeting a $6.2 million Belize dollar bail. His former boss Angulo was been sought by international authorities. Angulo was finally arrested on June of 2017, in Panama after being wanted in Mexico.



Man Shot on McKay

And in the final bit of police news tonight, a Mckay Boulevard resident was fortunate to escape with only minor injuries after a man fired at him, causing him to crash into a fence. This happened on Tuesday night around 9:00. Police told us more.

Police say this shooting stems from a dispute between both men.



Mencias and 86 Others Want BEL Top Spot

Almost 100 people have applied for BEL's soon to be vacant post of CEO. That's according to the Prime Minister. We asked him today if one of his star appointees will get the job:..

Reporter
"Is there any truth to John Mencias running Belize Electricity Ltd.?"

Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"I know that John Mencias has applied to become CEO at Belize Electricity Ltd., but so have 86 other persons. So I dont know how that will go."

BEL is chaired by the PM's Law Partner, Rodwell Williams…







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