It’s the guardian of Belizean workers’ retirement and benefit funds, as well as a dominant force in the nation’s economy. And while the Social Security Board has taken its share of public criticism, a new initiative seeks to dispel that image and produce real change in the organisation. Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting Today, the Social Security […]
When an opposition political party calls a press conference and starts talking about scandal in government, the reaction of a seasoned journalist is one of healthy scepticism. But guess what … since the accusations made yesterday by U.D.P. Leader Dean Barrow of high level official favouritism in the awarding of oil exploration contracts, the government […]
We stated earlier that government has provided no credible rebuttal to the allegations by its political opposition. This morning the press office did send a short press release, however, with instructions to call Ministry of Natural Resources C.E.O. Alan Usher with any questions. And that’s exactly what News Director Stewart Krohn did. We apologise in […]
The Petro Caribe Initiative, under which Belize buys refined fuel from Venezuela under extremely favourable credit terms, appears to be gaining momentum. A release today from the government’s Press Office announces that Venezuelan officials are in Belize to prepare for the building of two ten thousand barrel fuel storage tanks at the port of Big […]
Until the 1980’s nobody in Belize was familiar with shrimp farming; now it’s one of the nation’s biggest industries. Likewise in the 90’s with Tilapia, a fish that was once a stranger and today is common in Belizean kitchens. In the new millennium another sea creature is poised to make its name in Belize. Marion […]
Tourism and Climate Change – two things we wouldn’t ordinarily talk about in the same sentence. But today personnel from the tourism industry and the Climate Change Centre are finding reasons why the two are more closely related than we may think. It is with this in mind that the groups sat down today to […]
All clear. For Belizeans they may be the two most beautiful words in the English language. The fast moving Felix, which grew from Tropical Storm to category five hurricane in the blink of an eye on Monday, had its one hundred and sixty mile per hour winds pointed squarely at Belize, but it never did […]
And while crime has come to dominate the headlines, today Prime Minister Said Musa announced that the financial effect of Hurricane Dean has almost doubled initial estimates. According to the PM, the infrastructural damage to roads and utilities as well as losses in the agriculture, fisheries, and tourism sectors have now been calculated at almost […]
While crime and the effects of Hurricane Dean were the headliners in today’s meeting of the House of Representatives, the bill that caused the most contention were amendments to the Public Utilities Act. Minister responsible for Utilities Ralph Fonseca maintained that the changes regarding tariffs for electricity are designed to benefit the public and regulators. […]
And while the city wide clean-up continues, over the last two days homeowners across the country have had to deal with the effects of the severe lightning which accompanied the rainstorms. According to officials of Belize Electricity Limited the lightning caused serious damage to transformers, distribution lines and substation equipment resulting in blackouts in the […]
While officials of the Belize City Council are concentrating on the flooding concerns in the old capital, tonight we are informed that a letter has been sent to the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association informing them of the council’s plan to get the area around the Tourism Village under control. That letter is meant to bolster […]
For the past two years, the members of the National Coast Guard Service have been patrolling Belizean waters but our limited resources are no match for the expanse of the high seas. However, thanks to significant contributions from the U.S. Government and other donors, the Coast Guard’s assets have been steadily increasing. This morning, the […]
In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Dean the cancellation of cruise ships calling on ports along the Yucatan peninsula was to be expected but even after the all clear had been declared in Belize, one cruise line extended its withdrawal. Last Wednesday local port agent for the Carnival ships, Eurocaribe, was asked for official confirmation […]
And while those working in the cruise tourism sector are anxiously awaiting the Valor and the Legend next Thursday, an even bigger problem is brewing in the Belize City habour. News Five’s Janelle Chanona explains. Tracy Taegar Panton ”I think that it has gotten to the level where the cruise lines say, you know, either […]
One week after Hurricane Dean slammed into Northern Belize and Southern Mexico, efforts to clean up, rebuild and reopen are well underway. Today I travelled to two popular sites in the affected areas for progress reports. Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting Inside the Corozal Free Zone this morning, it was business as usual. Joel Cervantes, Director General, […]
As Belizeans in the north continue to recover from the destruction of Hurricane Dean, government calculators have been assessing the storm’s financial impact on the country. In a statement released to the media late Friday evening, Prime Minister Said Musa maintained that those most in need have been identified and assistance is fully mobilized. But […]
Less than two days after Hurricane Dean put the hurt on northern Belize, rebuilding has begun and authorities are assessing the damage in advance of more structured relief efforts. This afternoon our crews ranged as far as the Hondo River and we’ll begin our coverage right there at the Commercial Free Zone. It’s a place […]
As dawn broke this morning, thousands of Belizeans, many of whom barely slept—woke up to reports of which places suffered and which were spared. Radio coverage—the nation’s lifeline in times of emergency—indicated that various communities in the north had been hit hard, but the accounts were largely anecdotal. To get a better feeling for the […]
Between now and election day we’re going to see and hear a lot of politicians… and indications are that the campaign will be as bitter as any we’ve had in the past. All the more reason to take a good look at this next story, which, as News Five’s Marion Ali points out, opens with […]
It is nothing more than a coincidence but today was a day of donations in Belize, with money, vehicles, furniture and scholarships changing hands like fried chicken at Li Chee. The biggest handover took place in Belmopan when Taiwanese ambassador Joseph Shih presented Prime Minister Said Musa with a cheque for seven hundred and fifty […]
Meanwhile, at the Belmopan Showgrounds, the Minisitry of Agriculture was handing over the keys to some new Toyota pickups. What makes the presentation unusual is that instead of some foreign government doling out the goodies to an impoverished but grateful government, it was the government making its own counterpart contribution to an ongoing assistance project. […]
Next on the receiving end of some wheels was the Police Department. Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting The donation may be just one motorcycle but it will greatly improve the efficiency of the police prosecution branch in delivering summons to witnesses in a timely fashion. Police Constable Glen Arzu is one of the three process servers attached […]
In news about another type of energy, the government has announced a three dollar increase in the price of butane. The new retail rate for a hundred pound cylinder is one hundred and five dollars in Belize City, Belmopan one hundred and seven, while in San Ignacio it’s one hundred and ten bucks. Customers in […]
In business news, one of Belize’s most aggressive retail operations is about to change hands. Santino’s, founded twenty-two years ago by popular businessman Santino Castillo, will become the property of the Benny’s group of companies following stocktaking on September first. Price of the transaction has not been disclosed, but it has been confirmed that a […]
With each passing year the number and sophistication of Belize’s manufacturers and service providers seems to grow. And one way to keep tabs on that growth is an annual exhibition organised by the Belize Business Bureau and Beltraide. This morning, News Five’s Jacqueline Godwin received a pre-opening tour. Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting When we entered the […]
