Star of The Month

Phillipa Lewis

Phillipa Lewis was born on November 16, 1961 in Belize City, Belize to the parents of Mrs. Elda McGregor Lewis and Rudolph Lewis. She grew up in the Lake Independence area in Belize City.

She attended Wesley Methodist School and participated in as many extracurricular activities as possible. As a Community Center Youth Organizer, she coordinated and facilitated regular meetings, conducted educational activities and workshops, participated and organized educational programs that provided opportunities for local youths and college students to become future leaders. She was also a benefactress at Westside Assembly of God Church in Belize City.

Shortly after, she migrated to Los Angeles, California in 1989 to continue her education at Los Angeles Trade-Tech College where she studied Nursing. As a hardworking mother of four intelligent and successful children, Phillipa never let any obstacles get in her way. She persevered and kept working towards her dreams.

Ms. Lewis, a Justice of The Peace in Belize and in Los Angeles for over 18 years, became heavily involved in her community again. With her extensive experience, she became the Vice President of True Belizean Non-Profit Organization. She’s the founding member of Elda Rudolph Scholarship Fund that donates tuition to low-income families in Belize annually. Being a professional, caterer is one of her many trades that she uses to donate profit made to children in need of tuition and school supplies.

Ms. Lewis received numerous awards from God’s Place of Refuge International and New Journey Ministries as a mission worker and from The Belize Association of Justices of The Peace, California Chapter, as a citizenry worker.

She continuously gives monetary donations, clothes, food and school supplies to fire and flood victims of Belize and has recently assisted in the recovery of a gunshot survivor who required dialysis in Belize.

Enjoying all the aspects of her lifestyle, she continues to be a mentor, mother figure to ten children and a successful business woman. 

News

Conservation Happenings: Hands Across the Sand Conducts Rally and Fragment of Hope returns from Jamaica

July 10, 2018, 11:50 a.m. EST -

Members of Fragments of Hope, a Belizean non-profit conservation organization, recently returned from Jamaica as part of an exchange program with Oracabessa Bay Fish Sanctuary in Jamaica to improve coral out-planting. The exchange was funded by the Global Environmental Facility through the Small Grants Program. FoH seeks to transplant corals in order to revitalize the reef. The idea is the following: more corals means more fish no matter the manner, as long as planted.

Fragments of Hope is one of many locally-based efforts that is environmentally-focused, including Hands Across the Sand, a global initiative to spread environmental awareness in Belize and around the world.

Belize Barrier Reef Officially Removed From UNESCO's In-Danger List

July 12, 2018 10:30 a.m. EST- What is known as the Belize Barrier Reef System (BBRS) was added to the UNESCO list of world heritage sites in danger in 1996 by the World Heritage Committee because of what it considered to be undue stress or overdevelopment on Belize's cayes and because of oil and gas extraction activity off Belize's coast. Following the moratorium on oil and gas extraction exploration issued by the Belizean government in December of 2017, as well as new decisions by the government to regulate forestry affecting the unique network of mangrove trees in Belize, the World Heritage Committee determined that the BBRS was no longer under threat of destruction and announced its intention to remove the BBRS from its list of world heritage sites in danger. The committee finally followed through with its intention in its meeting in Manama, Bahrain on June 26th. The BBRS is a natural system comprised of the largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere, offshore atolls, several hundred sand cayes, mangrove forests, coastal lagoons and estuaries. It is at the moment considered a vital habitat for many threatened species of animals, including the marine turtle, the West Indian manatee and the American marine crocodile. The delegation from Belize that attended the WHC meeting was led by Deputy Prime Minister, Honorable Patrick Faber and the Minister of Environment, Honorable Omar Figueroa. The meeting that lasted four days covered in its agenda the natural wealth of Belize.

Belize Receives Pro-Tempore Presidency of SICA

PRESS RELEASE

Embassy of Belize Washington D.C.

Belize Receives SICA Pro-Tempore Presidency 

Washington D.C. July 16, 2018. Today, Monday, July 16th, the Embassy of Belize in Washington, D.C. received the Central American Integrated System (SICA) Pro-Tempore Presidency from the Dominican Republic. Speaking on behalf of the Government of Belize, Ambassador of Belize to the United States H.E. Daniel Gutierez reiterated the importance of regionalism and integration. He recognized the value of the operationalization of the Troika as well as deepening the subregional relations between SICA and CARICOM. Ambassador Gutierez emphasized the need for tangible actions in the implementation of the Resolution “Incorporating Multidimensional Criteria in Measuring Poverty and Development” adopted at the 48th Organization of the American States (OAS) General Assembly in June 2018. Among other areas of common interest, the resolution highlights issues of correspondent banking relations and graduation financing. Belize will also work within SICA to underscore maritime and border security as well as regional candidatures at the OAS. 



Ends

Landmark Beauty of The Month

Let us preserve and protect our historical landmarks!

Tourism Tidbits

Checking your Belize knowledge…DYK that South Water Caye is the largest marine protected area in Belize? This diverse little island boasts stunning beaches, great fishing, snorkeling and a diving experience that will have you coming back for more… still curious about South Water Caye? Read more here:   http://bit.ly/2KvJDY9

South Water Caye, Belize (above)

Trade and Investment Tidbits

Below: Marie Sharp's Fiery Hot and Exotic Steak Sauce wins Superior Taste Award 2018 from the International Taste and Quality Institute in Brussel, Belgium.

Belizean Proverbs

"Han' napkin tu'n tablecloth"

English translation: The hand-napkin has turned into a tablecloth.

Meaning: Somebody has risen above his station.

INGREDIENTS



2 3/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups softened butter

2 cups sugar or sweetener without calories, granulated

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Additional sweetener

PREPARATION

1. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt.

2. Beat the butter and sweetener until they feel light. Stir in the eggs gradually and then add the vanilla extract.

3. Wrap the above mixture with the flour. Form the cookies, place them on a tray and sprinkle with the sweetener you reserved.

4. Bake at 180C for 7 minutes or remove from the oven when cooked.

Recipe courtesy of : FB Page "Everything PG"

Spotlight Restaurant

Vern's Kitchen

"Miss Vern’s Kitchen" is a family owned restaurant in beautiful St. Bite, Placencia run by experienced Chef Vern who worked for many years as a cook in San Pedro and then returned to Seine Bight Village on the Placencia Peninsula where she has been serving authentic Gatifuna and Creole cuisine for the past 20 years.

FB Page: Vern's Kitchen Marin

Ph: +501-503-3202

The Women of the Americas provides $20,000 to the Cornerstone Foundation

The Women of the Americas, an organization comprised of wives of ambassadors to the Organization of American States (OAS), today provided 20 thousand dollars ($20,000) to the Cornerstone Foundation in San Ignacio Town.

The generous donation will be used to provide food to underprivileged children in the San Ignacio area. According to the Cornerstone Foundation, at least one year worth of meals will be provided.

The donation was handed over by Belize’s Permanent Representative to the OAS H.E. Daniel Gutierez and his wife, Erin Ryan Gutierez, who is a member of the Women of the Americas.

The organizations offer special thanks to Ms. Judith Apluche, CEO in the Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation, for her support.

By: Government of Belize Press Office