Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System enter UNESCO’s Danger List

The World Heritage Committee meeting in Seville, under the chair of María Jesús San Segundo, Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of Spain to UNESCO, has decided to inscribe Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

The main problem with Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System concerns mangrove cutting and excessive development in the property which was inscribed in 1996 as largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere, with offshore atolls, several hundred sand cays, mangrove forests, coastal lagoons and estuaries.




While requesting stricter control of development on the site, the Committee also requested that the moratorium on mangrove cutting on the site which expired in 2008 be reinstated.

The following is a statement by Erika Harms on the decision:

"The preservation of the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System is critical to both its marine inhabitants and the local communities that depend on the site for their livelihoods. In light of the Committee's decision, we recommit ourselves to support long-term solutions to the conservation challenges in the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System World Heritage site."


Source:

• Author(s):UNESCOPRESS
• Source:Press Release No. 2009 - 71
• 26-06-2009
• Link to the UNSECO Article
  

New Belize Weather Page

Our new Belize Weather Page is just online for the Start of the Belize Hurricane Season.

Hurricane Preparedness:

Please Inform yourself daily on the Hurricane Situation.

Prepare yourself with Food, Water and medicine for the event of a Hurricane.

Keep your documents ready and insure your Home.

Plan a escape route.


Protect your House with Hurricane Clips, Plywood or Hurricane Windows.

If you have done all of that enjoy your stay in Belize.

The Lobsterfest in Placencia and Caye Caulker is still going on. There is nothing better a a fresh Lobster tail grilled to perfection.

Lobster Season started with Lobsterfest

The Lobster Season in Belize has just started and we have three Lobsterfest in a Row.


First, the San Pedro Lobster fest from 14 till 20th June.


Second, the 11th Annual Placencia Lobsterfest and Placencia Fishermen's Day Saltwater Fishing Tournament 26 till 28th June.


Third, the Caye Caulker Lobsterfest 26 till 29th June .


Come an enjoy the delicious Belizean Lobster.

Here in Belize we know many different
way to prepare Lobster to perfection.






If you like to know all the Belizean Events & Festivals then Please visit our Belize Festival & Event Guide.

H1N1 actual Belize Situation after WHO pandemic alert

The WHO declares today H1N1 swine flu pandemic.
(Geneva) The World Health Organization raised the swine flu alert Thursday to its highest level, saying H1N1 has spread to enough countries to be considered a global pandemic

As far as we know there is still non confirmed H1N1 "swine flu" case in Belize.

As of 10 June 2009, 24,826 confirmed cases of the new virus influenza A (H1N1) infection, including 144 deaths, have been notified in 26 countries of the Americas: Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Panama, Peru, United States, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay and Venezuela.


Source and updates available at: Pan American Health Organization PAHO.


Belizean Test Results
At all, over 25 samples where tested in the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC) in Trinidad. Till know all the results are negative.


Situation in Chetumal and Mexico
News broke out last week that Quintana Roo Health Authorities reported an outbreak of H1N1 in Chetumal, and after making checks, Mexican newspapers El Diario de Yucatan and El Universal report 11 schools in Chetumal reported suspected cases of Influenza A (H1N1) and that five schools have suspended classes until June 15, 2009. The mexican Press and some medical News Resources, reported till know over 50 cases of H1N1 in the Border Town Chetumal.

Mexico has reported to WHO 5717 laboratory confirmed human cases of infection, including 106 deaths.

Central America and the Caribbean
The following countries have reported to WHO laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths: Cayman (2), Cuba (5), El Salvador (69) , Guatemala (60), Honduras (89), Jamaica (7), Nicaruagua (29), Panama (221), Trinidad and Tobago (2) and Costa Rica 93 including 1 death.

Use the Interactive Map from PAHO, to get the latest geographical development.


Hot Line
The Ministry of Health has established a Hot Line for the public from 8:00 am – 8:00 pm. the number is 629-5604 and will be handled by Nurse Augustina Eligio, stationed at MOH HQ.


We are monitoring the swine flu situation closely on this blog and will blog news as soon as they arrive. We hope we will only have good news for Belize.