15 years for a guilty plea on a lesser charge of manslaughter was the sentence handed down to Gilberto Chanek, but he will serve only 10 years. Justice Colin Williams issued the sentence after considering all details in the matter, including two impact statements from family members of Valdez read by Crown Counsel Riis Cattouse. The Justice also took into consideration the mitigating factors that included Chanek's established mental illness, his record of no previous conviction and that a motive for the act was never established. Justice Williams directed that Chanek be treated via a drug rehabilitation program while he is in prison and mandated that fully participates in any psychiatric program in prison.

Chanek was charged for the murder of 50 year old Carlitos Valdez, killed on August 3, 2018, in San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye. Valdez, a painter from Benque Viejo Del Carmen was stabbed 8 times an 8inch knife 8 inches long while he was in his room. At the time of the arrest, there was no evidence as to what precipitated the attack by Chanek.

Chanek was represented by attorney Simeon Sampson. 

Chub The Hero

The Disney Conservation Fund announced this week that Julio Chub, the Community Liaison Officer of Ya'axch Conservation Trust has been honored with a 2019 Disney Conservation Hero Award. The award recognizes local citizens for their commitment to save wildlife, protect habitats and inspire their communities to take part in conservation efforts. Recipients from around the world were nominated by non-profit environmental organizations, and each honoree and his nominating organization will share a $1,500 award from the Disney Conservation Fund.

Julio Chub is one of only 18 award recipients in 2019, globally. Chub known for his community-oriented conservation work has been so involved for the past 2 decades. On being recognized, he remarked that the communities are important in the work that he does as it is crucial that they are actively engaged actively for their own livelihood benefit.  He speaks about the work he enjoys so much:

Julio Chub - Hero Awardee"How are the farms how are the communities... and it makes me feel good that some of thee young people back then that attended summer camp and the Ya'axche Summer programme... and even myself going and presenting to them in the school talking about agro-forestry; talking about what threatens our area, the natural resources and some of them really got inspired and went on studying natural resource management...it really makes me want to continue doing what I do."

Ya'axch has been working in forest protection and collaborating with the  communities in southern Belize since 1998.

Ahmadiyya Looks Int Belize's Heart

The group has been in a Belize a few years now and is best known for its work with our young men through the basketball league They are the Ahmadiyya Muslim.  This morning we were called out to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at to meet one of their leaders and learn a bit more about his visit, the 6th Jalsa Salana Annual Convention,  and the 6th annual basketball league.  On the occasion of their 6th Jalsa Salana, we took the opportunity to get to know the group a bit better and hear the philosophy behind the work and their beliefs from the perspective of the young Belizeans who lead the programmes and the visiting faith leader.

Stephen Ataul Haq Gabb - Missionary Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at
"Being a young man of Belize, I believe that ah ahm in our community says that if you do not have the youth you do not have the future.  We have zoned in on the youth and the men of Belize as you have said because we want a better future for our country and we want to change the mentality of young Belizean men to have love and peace and brothership amongst ourselves."

Maulana Azhar Haneef Sahib -Missionary in Charge & Vice Pres. Of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama
We are not like politicians vying for a constituency saying I want this section and if I get 10% I have done my job.  And so I think it begins with the approach. I can't speak for any other group or any other individual; I can only speak for myself. It is the sincerity of your message.  It is all you can do.  And being a person who is sincere about it and consistent about it and showing what is in that hear of yours. So what I think what people recognize on a human level what has always touched the hearts is that genuine love that you have for them.  And I don't care who it is this is how you touch a human heart. On a deeper level the question was asked once what are we in fact.  Are we human beings having a spiritual experience or are we spiritual beings having a human experience.  I believe it is the later. I think the question that was asked about why the inner city urban youth; same as in my nation; why were we so effective in attracting those who are poorer, less educated, more disenfranchised from politics, unable to go up in the means ladder economically normally these are the ones who are in a searching mode; who can hear things that others can't hear because their ears are already filled with so much noise."

Rodvern Lino - Commissioner of the Ahmadiyya Basketball League
"Ahmadiyya basketball league is a youth basketball movement now. We are going into our 6th year. We have been everywhere in Belize. We have been doing everything basketball in Belize from international weekend tournaments, to district camps to, district tournaments to representing Belize is in international basketball tournaments in the US and Mexico. So we have been doing whole lot trying to reach as many young people as possible. We start on Sunday at 9a.m. as the SJC Gym.  We have grown this year to accommodate 5 age categories.  Usually we would have been doing 1 or 3 this year we are doing 5. We have registered so far 40 teams, hailing from all over the country of Belize and also from bordering Mexico. We are running 3 months, we will be doing 8 Sundays and then moving into playoffs and then finals.  We will have an all-star break in the middle and we will be having our highly anticipated slam dunk and 3 point competition during that time."

The 6th annual Jalsa Salana will be held at the ITVET Compound on Saturday, February 1st from 10 in the morning. to 6 in the evening.

A Case Of Handling Horses Kim and Tango

Two horses named Kim and Tango were stolen last week Thursday from the Bacab Eco Park. But, luckily, the horses were recovered and one teenager charged for handling the stolen horses.

Two days ago, his guilty plea on the charge of handling a stolen property was rejected in Magistrates Court as a result of his claim that he was merely assisting in retaining the horse and had no knowledge it was stolen.  Magistrate Tricia Pitts questioned the unrepresented 18 year old Adolphus Flowers on entering his plea and that was when he made his explanation.  Magistrate explained that for him to be guilty and his plea to be accepted he had to have knowledge that the crime of theft had been committed.  The magistrate entered a plea of not guilty.  Flowers who is a mechanic of Raccoon Street was arrested and charged on January 26th after he was found with the horse. 

At the time of the arrest, the allegation is that he had dishonestly assisted in the retention of one brown and white horse knowing or believing that such property belonged to Bacab Eco Park. The horse is valued at 15,000 dollars.  Flowers in out on a two thousand five hundred dollar bails and is to reappear in court on March 30.

One man is still being sought.