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Tourism is one of the top foreign exchange earners for Belize’s economy. This year the industry remained steady in overnight visitors but in cruise ship, the figures have been going down for a number of reasons including the protracted dispute months ago over tenders. Today, stakeholders sat down to discuss the current state of affairs […]
And since there wasn’t much bad news to report at today’s AGM, the focus was on the new marketing strategy… telling the story of Belize’s cultures and attractions through as many mediums as possible, drawing in prospective visitors from across the globe. But while they try to share the positives, Jim Scott says there’s one […]
Written on December 1, 2011 | Posted in
Economy,
Regional / International,
Travel |
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We are heading up to the Christmas so it means every penny counts. And if you want to start the month of December with some savings and good cheer, you should head out to the pumps because prices of fuel are going down some. The price of diesel will decrease by as much as forty-six […]
Written on November 30, 2011 | Posted in
Economy,
Featured |
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And if you think institutional hiccups and misunderstandings are prevalent only in sports, then think again. Growers of the well-established citrus industry are still waiting to collect two and a half million dollars in payment from Citrus Products of Belize Limited (CPBL). Disagreements between the Citrus Growers Association and the CPBL have been extensively broadcasted, […]
Written on November 28, 2011 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Economy |
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With the economic train moving slow, Prime Minister Dean Barrow met with the private sector this morning to discuss ways to spur economic growth. Both have been at odds on a number of issues, including nationalization and the ninth amendment, but today a long list of issues that range from crime to taxes were identified […]
Written on November 23, 2011 | Posted in
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Featured,
People & Places |
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In the wake of government’s acquisition of public utilities, U.S. based financial services company Standard & Poor’s downgraded Belize’s credit rating from a B to B minus in early August. But the outlook for Belize’s financial future was stable until this week, when S&P downgraded it to a negative and confirmed that the country’s rating […]
There’s bleak news to report on the financial front. Belize’s foreign currency credit score was downgraded by Standard and Poor’s in early August following government’s acquisition of the Belize Electricity Limited. The country’s credit rating went down from a B to a B minus because, according to S&P, the nationalization added to the country’s fiscal […]
It has been a little under three weeks since the start of a new crop season and tensions within the fickle citrus industry were simmering on Tuesday but tonight it appears there might be a resolution in sight to the latest problem. It started Tuesday when the management of Citrus Products Belize Ltd. notified growers […]
Written on November 16, 2011 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Economy,
Featured |
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Belize lost its List One status with the European Union a few days ago for not submitting its required annual residue plan which monitors for chemicals. The fate of two containers of shrimp heading for the EU is not known. The delisting translates to huge financial losses to the aquaculture industry, which has been on […]
Written on November 11, 2011 | Posted in
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Featured,
People & Places |
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There is a confirmed report out of Belmopan that the European Union has removed Belize from what is referred to as a List One Status for exports of fish and shrimps to the E.U. Belize was the only country in this region with that privileged status, but now the E.U. is identifying Belize as a […]
On Wednesday in the Pomona Valley, citrus growers were irate that oranges were not being accepted by the CPBL. Later in the day, that decision was reversed and the factory opened up for early orange deliveries. The contention between the Citrus Growers Association and the Citrus Products of Belize Limited has been relentless. The CGA’s […]
Written on November 3, 2011 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Economy |
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Though the Prime Minister says general elections will likely follow after the 2012 March municipal elections, the standard pre-election quality of life packages are on the way. The Prime Minister announced that he had spoken to CEO of Belize Electricity Limited and the Public Utilities Commission about implementing a rate review. The PM believes that […]
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has produced its latest report on Belize after consultations in August. It’s a mix of good and bad news. The good, according to a summary of the report, is essentially that the macroeconomic outlook for 2011 remains moderately positive. Output growth is projected at two point five percent, reflecting a […]
Down south, there are new problems for citrus farmers. They are yet to recover from the devastation of the last hurricane that swept through the area in October 2010, which has resulted in an early crop. The situation has the Citrus Growers Association racing around the clock, hoping to get government to intervene with the […]
Written on October 31, 2011 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Economy |
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It’s past mid-October and several teachers are still waiting to be paid for the month of September. Around one hundred and fifty teachers from across the country did not receive their salaries at the end of the past month; that was a major setback because the teachers claim they have commitments to meet. But according […]
Written on October 19, 2011 | Posted in
Economy,
Education,
People & Places |
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According to Leacock, the requirements for proper documents to be provided when hiring new teachers is nothing new, but it is only now being enforced by the Teaching Services Commission. David Leacock “There are requirements under the law, dating back actually to 2000; the revised edition of the then education act and the education rules […]
Written on October 19, 2011 | Posted in
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Education,
People & Places |
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Despite the wet conditions across the country, in the West, Central Farm was crowded with Belizeans as they trekked through mud and rains for the commemoration of World Food Day. Local producers of food set up shop on the grounds to promote and educate the Belizean public on the importance of local food production and […]
Written on October 14, 2011 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Economy |
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The unemployment statistics are staggering; almost twenty-five percent of the adult population is without jobs. That dismal figure has contributed to a high poverty rate peaking at forty-three percent. It is contributing to the uncontrollable crime wave as well as other social ills. News Five’s Isani Cayetano takes a look at how families are coping […]
Written on October 13, 2011 | Posted in
Economy,
Featured,
People & Places |
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We’ve reported that ING and FirstCaribbean International Banks have extended the term of their loans to Belize Sugar Industries Limited by one year, giving B.S.I. up until September thirtieth, 2012 to pay back thirty million dollars. In a financial update issued today, B.S.I. says the new arrangement allows for the commencement of the upcoming crop […]
Written on September 30, 2011 | Posted in
Economy,
Featured,
People & Places |
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On Independence Day the leader of the opposition, John Briceño dedicated his speech to the memory of the Right Honorable George Price, who had passed away two days earlier. While also paying respects to the father of the nation, the Prime Minister upstaged the event with what sounded like a pre-election speech full of goodies. […]
Written on September 29, 2011 | Posted in
Economy,
Featured |
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This Saturday would have been the deadline for the Belize Sugar Industries Limited to pay thirty million dollars in debts to ING and FirstCaribbean International Banks. But B.S.I. got a lifeline since that deadline was extended by one year. The B.S.I. Group is knee deep in debt and last year the industry was on the […]
Written on September 29, 2011 | Posted in
Economy,
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
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According to Ortega, now that B.S.I. has a one year extension, there is less pressure to accept the Banco Atlantida proposal, which means that the B.S.C.F.A. and the other interested investors have more time to put financing together. But Ortega maintains that the association still has not been provided with the documents from B.S.I. that […]
Written on September 29, 2011 | Posted in
Economy,
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
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Unlike previous years, there were no daggers drawn between the leader of the Opposition and the Prime Minister on Independence Day. In his address, John Briceño focused on the work and vision of George Price. After declaring the day of the state funeral for Price, a public and bank holiday, the PM Dean Barrow launched […]
Over five thousand visitors entered the gates of the IT-VET on Saturday and Sunday for the 2011 Expo Marketplace. According to the Chamber of Commerce, there were a hundred and forty exhibitors in the two day event. From well established to smaller businesses and organizations featured their wares at discounted prices, hoping to boost sales. […]
Written on September 19, 2011 | Posted in
Economy,
People & Places |
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Last Friday, LPG importers, Gas Tomza, BWEL and Zeta Gas went on strike after government failed to approve a price adjustment sought since February because of high acquisition costs. The government insisted that before any adjustment could be discussed, the importers had to comply with new regulations that the companies need to have scales on […]
Written on September 16, 2011 | Posted in
Economy,
Miscellaneous |
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