There is public outrage over an incident that took place in Santa Cruz, Toledo on Saturday afternoon. A Creole man, Rupert Myles was detained by a group of Maya residents and tied up. The photographs of the man in handcuffs on social media has caused a huge uproar and even the Prime Minister has taken […]
This afternoon in Santa Cruz, dozens of villagers were attempting to determine the possible outcome of this volatile situation. While residents maintain that the buildup, as well as the resultant incident on Saturday, was not racially motivated, they insist that the customary law under which the community is governed applies to everyone who chooses to […]
Last week Belize was blacklisted by the European Union, along with thirty other countries. The European Union claims that Belize is a tax haven for companies which are seeking to avoid paying taxes. It’s just another in a series of hits from the international community against the offshore sector, and Prime Minister Dean Barrow says […]
Last week, we tried to get an official comment on the assessment of damages cause by the Guatemalan gunboat, Tecum Uman, running on the reef near Middle Caye. That comment was not forthcoming, but today PM Barrow confirmed that it is completed and a dollar figure has been assessed. According to the PM, that bill, […]
The Association of Protected Areas Management Organizations, APAMO, is the most recent to weigh in on the National Protected Areas Bill and supplementary changes to other supporting legislation. The government is being soundly criticized for failure to consult with the conservation community prior to tabling these amendments before the House of Representatives. While the new […]
Despite the fact that government intends to merge funds from respective member organizations under APAMO, a comprehensive framework or mechanism remains to be put in place to determine the breakdown and use of the consolidated monies. Anthony Hislop, Chairman, APAMO “At the consultation at the Radisson that’s something else that was said, that we […]
Today, N.G.O.s continue to express serious concerns with two pieces of legislation allegedly tabled before Cabinet. This first is the brand new National Protected Areas System Bill and the second is an amended PACT Bill. While there is general agreement that there is a critical need for legislation, there seems to be almost unanimous belief […]
Another concern with the N-PAS Bill is that it would establish a National Protected Areas Council, but only in an advisory capacity and not an administrative capacity as sought by co-management N.G.O.s and other stakeholders. In terms of the PACT ACT, there are also concerns – one of which is the proposal to expand the […]
And then there is a concern with the composition of the PACT Board of Directors, which would change significantly with the amendments which have been proposed. Via Phone: Osmany Salas, President, B.T.I.A. “There is currently a fairly healthy balance on the PACT Board in relation to government representation and non-government representation. If the amendments […]
Amendments to the PACT Act which were allegedly tabled at Cabinet have been the cause of much speculation and even concern among N.G.O.s in Belize. Some representatives we spoke to told us that while they have been lobbying for amendments to the Act since 2006, they just don’t know that the final draft tabled in […]
Among the complaints we’ve heard about the proposed amendments is that there is much more power being vested in the Minister, and apparently less inclusion of N.G.O.’s and less dependence on technical consultations with those in the know. Edilberto Romero, Executive Director, Programme for Belize “One of the concerns was the composition of the […]
Nestled in the far reaches of the Belize River Valley is the Rio Bravo Protected Area, a large and lushly forested zone where flora and fauna thrive. But like other protected areas countrywide, there is the need for constant surveillance and on the ground management to ensure that the nation’s natural riches are conserved and […]
The assessment of damages caused to the reef by a Guatemalan vessel running aground last Wednesday has been completed. On Thursday, the preliminary dive was done by members of the Department of the Environment even before the sixty-five foot gunboat was removed. After it was pulled off its inadvertent dry dock by a tugboat sent […]
So here are the facts – a Guatemalan vessel is in Belizean waters, but preliminary investigations are that it is not a voluntary presence. Mike Rudon was on the site today and has the story. Mike Rudon, Reporting Here’s something we’ve never seen before and may never see again – a sixty-five foot Guatemalan […]
With the start of the 2015 Hurricane Season, the City Emergency Management Organization, CEMO, has once again kicked into high gear, readying itself in the event of natural disaster. This morning, CEMO convened a press conference where it outlined its plan of action for the upcoming months. At the helm was Mayor Darrell Bradley. […]
Councilor Phillip Willoughby who has been instrumental in hurricane preparedness also spoke on the utilization of designated hurricane shelters. Phillip Willoughby, City Councilor “I would like to take this opportunity to advise the public that this is not your home and we have to be careful how we occupy the shelters in the sense […]
Wildlife crime is a big business and it is operated by multinational, risky networks. Wildlife, that is animals and plants, are trafficked much like illegal drugs and arms, and very often they end up in countries far away from where they were illegally extracted. By its very nature, it is almost impossible to obtain reliable […]
On Wednesday, the Government of Belize withdrew its appeal against a legal ruling that oil concessions are null and void. The move is a surprising one, considering that Government had challenged an April 2013 decision issued by Justice Oswell Legall in favor of OCEANA, COLA and the Coalition in their lawsuit challenging six Production Sharing […]
There is a very ugly situation brewing in the village of Santa Marta in the Orange Walk District, and it involves squatting. Thirteen farmers cleared and cultivated five hundred and twenty acres of land decades ago. They have been working the land since then, primarily to grow cane. But the land is privately owned, part […]
What’s the connection between Minister of State Edmond Castro and Santa Marta in the Orange Walk District? Well, you would think none, but you would be wrong. Earlier this week Castro was battered by the media who were asking him if he was squatting on privately owned land in Santa Marta. Government, as well as […]
There are more complaints tonight against the Minister of State Mark King over the issue of squatting in the area of Holy Emmanuel. After King came under fire he re-settled twelve families to Cotton Tree on the George Price Highway. But the problem continues to haunt King. Tonight a family of five is without a […]
Minister of State Edmund Castro has been having a warm time of it lately. He finished off last week in court, where the judge and the public had to listen to hours of very compelling and unpleasant testimony – first about distinctly low points in his political career, and then about his alleged involvement in […]
And if you think this is the only issue with Guatemala, just ask the Friends For Conservation Development. They’ve been documenting the illegal activities inside the Chiquibul for years and it hasn’t slowed down. The FCD issued a release today about the Guatemalan milpas inside Belize. Majority are planted with corn, squash, beans and even […]
And from milpas to wild animals- the pressures inside the Chiquibul are numerous. And the FCD has been working tirelessly to put a stop or to mitigate in some cases. And as Manzanero says, poaching is one of the issues that is very difficult to stop and in recent months there has been an increase. […]
Has Offshore Oil exploration been given the green light by G.O.B.? Well, not so fast, says C.E.O. Colin Young in the Ministry of Energy. On Tuesday, we told you about the article published on Yahoo.com where Writer Dave Forest wrote that “Last week the country’s Ministry of Energy affirmed that it is considering opening to […]
