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History & Tradition – the 94th Baron Bliss Harbour Regatta

It’s an event that has been overshadowed by the four-day Belikin La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge, but is historical and spans almost a century. Over the weekend, the Ninety-Fourth Baron Bliss Harbour Regatta took place along Seashore Promenade and was testament to a small group of people working together to keep the tradition of […]

The 26th Belikin La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge

Goodnight and welcome to a special edition of Sports Monday, I am Paul Lopez. It was a three-day weekend packed with sporting activities across the country.The banks along the Belize River were inundated with fans of the Twenty-Sixth Belikin La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge. The annual canoe race saw a total of fifty-seven teams […]

Minister of Transport Threatens Legal Action Following A/C Allegations

On Thursday, the Government of Belize issued a statement refuting allegations being made in other parts of the media against Rodwell Ferguson, Minister of Youth, Sports and Transport.  The accusations made against the Stann Creek West Area Representative involve the purchase of air conditioning units.  The release went on to say, categorically, “there is absolutely […]

P.S.U. President Gives Two Cents on Ferguson’s Allegations

For his part, the president of the Public Service Union has also opined on the allegations brought against Minister Ferguson.  According to Dean Flowers, should the assertions against the Minister of Transport prove to be true, it is their hope that Prime Minister Briceño would expel Ferguson from Cabinet.   Dean Flowers, President, P.S.U. “I […]

Transport Minister Discusses Letter to C.E.O. Marconi Leal Jr.

A letter written to Chief Executive Officer Marconi Leal Junior on February twenty-third, by Minister of Youth, Sports and Transport Rodwell Ferguson, informs that as of that date, any financial transaction above five thousand dollars should be presented to him for scrutiny and approval.  The decision to severely restrict the C.E.O.’s spending power, flies in […]

Rodwell Ferguson Sticks to the Script on Public Transportation Reform

Bus operators embroiled in a public transportation face-off with the Government of Belize have been relatively quiet these past few days, in the wake of a meeting that was held last week with the Transport Department. During the lengthy sit down, the Belize Bus Association demanded that a press release outlining the points that were […]

B.S.I. Speaks Out on Request for Increase in Cost of Brown Sugar

Earlier this week, the Corozal Sugar Cane Producers Association and the Progressive Sugar Cane Producers Association proposed an increase in the prices of brown and plantation white sugars, noting that the last adjustment in cost of the plantation white sugar sold domestically was back in 2015 when it was increased to seventy-five cents. At that […]

Is There a Lack of Enforcement in Controlled Price of Brown Sugar?

But is the sugar industry the victim of a dysfunctional price control system? A.S.R./B.S.I.’s Director of Finance Shawn Chavarria says it has taken too long for any adjustment to be revisited and should be looked at more regularly. If you go into any shop, brown sugar is being sold at fifty cents at the least. […]

What’s the Status of the 2022-2023 Sugar Crop?

What’s the status of the 2022 Sugar Crop Season? It’s been sixty-three days since milling began, but according to A.S.R./B.S.I.’s Cane Farmer Relations Manager Olivia Avilez, the mill’s report up to Thursday indicates that three hundred and fifty thousand, eight hundred and thirty-four tons of cane have been processed so far. This is over fifty-seven […]

Who Will Win La Ruta Maya in 2023? Guava Limb Snagged Day 1

The twenty-sixth running of the Belikin La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge kicked off this morning in the twin towns of Santa Elena-San Ignacio. This year’s event has fifty-seven teams of paddlers racing the one-hundred-and-eighty-mile journey to Belize City over the next four days. As is the tradition, the race ends at the Belcan Bridge […]

National Youth Awards Recognize Outstanding Young Belizeans

Young men and women from across the country were recognized today by the Government of Belize for exemplary work they have been doing in shaping the future of the country through academic, athletic and social accomplishments.  The National Youth Awards ceremony was to have taken place in November of last year, but Hurricane Lisa forced […]

Young Mother Receives New Home from SMART

Today, a young mother of two small children is the beneficiary of a new wooden home after two organizations teamed up to come to her aid. Francisca Hower had been meaning to expand her dwelling on Antelope Street Extension, but that dream was far from reality. Then Hurricane Lisa set her back further. But SMART […]

Children celebrate Child Stimulation Month Through A Child Beating Cancer

As we celebrate child stimulation in the month of March, Sabreena Daly got an interesting take on how one school is embracing the festivities. This week’s Bright Side took her to the Dangriga Cancer Center where a ringing of the bell brought about a celebration of children for a battle one by one of their […]

Unions and Government Representatives Meet Over Increment Freeze

Representatives from the joint unions and their counterparts from the government held another in a series of meetings today. The two sides have been trying to work out the finer details of how and when the increment freeze on public officers’ and teachers’ salaries will be lifted. And while many on the wayside might have […]

Senator Smith: We Do Not Agree to Link Discussions on Increments to Pension Reform

Belize National Teachers’ Union President, Senator Elena Smith told the media that the discussions were frank and cordial, but that no definitive conclusions have yet been met. But one thing is for sure: the unions are not in agreement with the linking of the unfreezing of increments with pension reform.   Senator Elena Smith, President, […]

Government Negotiator Says Retroactive Increments is Not a Reality This Year

Minister of Education, Francis Fonseca, who is on the government’s team, explained in greater detail. He said that aside from the unions wanting their increments to be restored, they also want to collect their increments for the past two years. That, he explained, is not a matter that can be realized this year.   Francis […]

Government Sets Up Taskforce to Address Inflation and Price Gouging

The global issue of inflation has sharply increased the cost of supplies, as well as the cost of goods and services in Belize.  Notwithstanding government subsidies to the productive and transportation sectors, among other initiatives and achievements, the cost of living remains high and is affecting all Belizeans.  Earlier today, it was announced via cabinet […]

Would Lifting the Increment Freeze Require Tweaking the Budget?

When the talk of lifting the increment freeze comes into play, the question of whether or not the government might have to adjust its expenditure for its National Budget to reflect this new addendum becomes a live issue, but according to P.S.U. President Flowers, not necessarily.   Dean Flowers, President, P.S.U “If you’re going to […]

Pension Reform Will Have New Terms for New Enlistments into the Public Service

The government has been pushing the point that the current pension scheme is not sustainable and that there will have to be a reform of sorts. Along with the discussions for pension reform is the suggestion that there be new conditions for new employees who are enlisted on system.   Francis Fonseca, Government Negotiator “We […]

Ministry of Transport Responds to Allegations Arising over Procurement of A.C.’s

Earlier today the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Transport responded to an allegation on Wave Radio in which a minister of government is accused of blatant corruption that is attempting to use public monies to install twenty-five air-conditioning units at a hotel allegedly owned by the said minister, who was unnamed in the post. The […]

A Tribunal to Review D.O.E.’s Decision on Waterloo Project

The Ministry of Sustainable Development has established a tribunal to review the decision of the Department of Environment’s decision regarding the Port of Belize Expansion and Cruise Tourism project.  As we reported in late 2022, Department of the Environment did not grant environmental clearance to Waterloo Investment Holdings Limited for the Port Expansion and Cruise […]

San Estevan Benefits from First Digital Connect Center

In tonight’s episode of Belize on Reel, News Five travels to San Estevan, Orange Walk District where the inauguration of Digital Connect Center was held.  Here’s News Five’s Isani Cayetano with that story.   Isani Cayetano, Reporting Many may not know or remember, but San Estevan was the first town in Orange Walk District.  Before […]

Belize Benefits from Ten-million-dollar Compact Development Funding

The governments of Belize and the United States, along with the Millennium Challenge Corporation, M.C.C., a U.S. government agency, signed a Compact Development Funding Grant Agreement on Wednesday evening. M.C.C compacts are five-year grant programs that aim to reduce poverty by increasing economic growth. Belize had submitted two concept papers to the corporation that described […]

Taiwan Trains K.H.M.H Radiologist for Re-established Unit

The Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital has four newly-trained radiologists to complement its Radiology Unit. The project was initially introduced in 2019, but was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. As soon as business returned to normal, efforts were renewed to re-establish the unit. The hospital, along with the Taiwan Embassy, through its new Ambassador to Belize, […]

How Are the Finances of the Belize City Council?

While we had the opportunity of speaking with the Belize City Mayor on Wednesday, we asked him how the City Council’s finances are performing. This comes a year after the reopening of business and citizens’ payments of trade and property taxes at that time were still less than impressive.   Bernard Wagner, Belize City Mayor […]