There is some concern in Belize this week over a British review of all military bases overseas including Belize. On 29 June Lord Michael Aschroft as reported by the Lords Hansard asked in the House of Lords, “To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the plans for the military base in Belize; and whether Kenya is being considered as an alternative.”

In response, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence Lord Astor of Hever stated that “The Ministry of Defence is facing significant financial pressures and we must, therefore, focus our resources on our key areas. All activities, including our military basing overseas, will be reviewed as part of the ongoing Strategic Defence and Security Review.

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An expedition of U.S. scientists working with the Belize Institute of Archaeology has found several underwater fossil beds in an area that may have been a Mayan pilgrimage center. The mega fauna fossil beds were found about 60 to 90 feet below the surface at several pools around the Cara Blanca site in central Belize earlier this year. The project is partly sponsored by National Geographic. These are reportedly the first recorded fossils ever found in Belize.

Lisa Lucero, Archaeologist, Project Leader: “Because the Maya considered openings in the earth – caves, water bodies – as portals to the underworld of Xibalba. And because the thousands of caves that have been found have offerings, ancient Maya offerings , we just knew there’d be offerings at the bottom of the pool. So we came with the goal of trying to dive to look for these offerings.”

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An ancient Maya site at Paynes Creek National Park in southern Belize is to benefit from a twenty five thousand U.S. dollars grant from the Archaeological Institute of America. According to local media reports in Belize the funds will be used to fund the building of an observation platform and support for an initiative to raise awareness of the site among residents and tourists. Wooden and other organic remains from the Classic Maya period such as those at Paynes are extremely rare.

The Paynes Creek structures have been uniquely preserved by a waterlogged environment at the Punta Ycacos salt water lagoon, where the Maya are known to have practiced a particular method of salt production known as “sal cocida”.

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Belize Prime Minister Dean Barrow begins his first official visit to South Florida, Friday June 25. During the visit which runs up to June 27, the Prime Minister will open a Belize Trade and Investment Show, attend a dinner gala with Belizeans living in the U.S.A. and host a public forum.

Mr. Barrow, a University of Miami law school graduate, will visit his alma mater where he will receive a tour of the Coral Gables campus and meet with university officials.

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