In December of last year a fleet of Jamaican fishing boats was spotted off the coast of Punta Gorda Town. The vessels, belonging to the PG Fishing Company which has a joint venture with the Rio Grande Cooperative of Punta Gorda, were in Belizean waters to conduct fishing operations. Both the Departments of Fisheries and […]
Legislation is key in dealing with the groundings on the reef. After the Westerhaven ruling, the government’s attorney Deanne Barrow and biologist Melanie McField, who the C.J. relied on in making his assessment spoke about another vessel that ran aground. The owner of the Great Escape, Al Barcroft, continues to enjoy his freedom in Rio […]
Earth Day, designed to inspire awareness and appreciation for the planet’s natural environment, is being celebrated today. The intention is to raise the level of knowledge on climate change and other factors affecting the physiology of the planet. In honor of Earth Day the University of Belize and other partner organizations held an event to […]
It will be a busy weekend with lots of activities for party goers and the variety range from Brukdong to old school to modern day music. Safiyyah has a full rundown of where the parties will be, starting from tonight and throughout the weekend. Hey I’m Safiyyah and this is what’s happening Belize. Tonight and […]
On Thursday last week News Five reported that a barge ran aground eight miles north of San Pedro Town. The extent of the damage is still being determined, but News Five has learned that the barge which was stuck near Blue Reef Resort was removed in three sections on Monday. No one has claimed ownership […]
A barge ran aground on the reef Thursday night. This is the second vessel this year to have damaged a portion of the reef. The barge, thirty feet by twenty three feet, is lodged near the Blue Reef Resort. Because of the battering waves, the barge has turned on its side and is believed to […]
Earlier in this newscast we heard from Bartolo Teul who was thrown out of a public meeting by heavily armed police at the orders of Minister of State, Juan Coy. Teul claims the elected official grew irate when he raised concerns about the way he was running things in the south. Another issue which Teul […]
Environmental officers and other key stakeholders in the upkeep of the ozone layer from Caribbean states are in Belize to discuss alternatives for the use of Hydro Cloro Floro Carbons in the refrigeration industry. News Five spoke with one organizers who is instrumental in the three-day event. Artie Dubri, Policy & Enforcement Officer, UN Environmental […]
It’s a weekend of love and Channel Five is hosting a Valentine’s Day concert tonight. So head out and join us. But if you’re looking for the perfect gifts to show your love and affection, Safiyyah will tell you about the chocolates, flowers and more. Hey I’m Safiyyah and this is What’s Happening Belize on […]
Back in September of last year, twenty-four year old Elton Herrera, an employee of Brown’s Butane Gas Service, lost his life when a faulty gas tank exploded on Mopan Street. His death sparked an investigation on safety measures implemented by butane gas operators. Both the departments of Fire and the Environment, the Belize Defence Force […]
Conservational International and marine scientists from across the ocean converged in the capital for a multi sector symposium on Belize’s marine life throughout the day. The NGO worked along with the Fisheries Department, Healthy Reefs Initiative, and other agencies to examine issues associated with marine protected areas management. Doctor Les Kaufman, the senior investigator for […]
On Thursday night we reported that a yacht named the Great Escape is still sitting on the reef in the Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve; two months after it ran into the reef. The owner, Albert Barcroft, was released within days of the incident when he complained of a heart condition. The vessel continues to damage […]
Still on the exploitation of our natural reserves, xateros from neighbouring Guatemala continue to exploit the Chiquibul National Park. The military forces in Belize patrol the area, but because the area is generally dense and the number of patrols is limited, it has been difficult to apprehend the xateros. On Tuesday, however, park rangers moved […]
Tonight Channel Five will be having their first open air concert of 2010. This concert is indeed a special one as it is not only going to be held as a fundraiser to help the earthquake victims in Haiti but it is also a tribute to the late great humanitarian and artist Andy Palacio. This […]
On November thirtieth another vessel was added to the cadre of foreign vessels that have navigated into the reef. The Great Escape an eighty-five foot luxury yacht, like its predecessors the Westerhaven and the Azteca, has crashed on Belize’s priceless barrier reef. All accounts say that the yacht’s owner did not check in with any […]
The issue has been brewing for weeks in the Deep South where environmental groups and the San Pedro Columbia community are mounting opposition to the proposed construction of a dam. The site is the Central River that runs through the Columbia River Forest Reserve and the Bladen Nature Reserve, two core conservation areas. One organization […]
Over forty-two thousand delegates from around the world have recently flown to Europe for the United Nations Climate Change Conference at the Bella Center in Copenhagen, Denmark. The fate of the world lies primarily in the hands of industrial nations which emit large quantities of greenhouse gases that is causing global warming. The conference has […]
Boats belonging to two Jamaican fishing companies with Belizean counterparts have been spotted in the southern waters. PG Fishing Limited and Rainforest Limited are both seeking licenses for deep sea fishing for export. When word got out, it started a firestorm because the local community and others in the industry are fiercely opposed to the […]
On Wednesday News Five broke the story that another Jamaican company is seeking the green light from government for large scale deep sea fishing in the south. Rainforest Limited, which is affiliated to Aquamar Limited, a local seafood export company, is proposing to build a multimillion dollar facility in southern Belize that would process at […]
There is also controversy over the PG Fishing Company, which has a joint venture with the Rio Grande Cooperative of Punta Gorda. Also of Jamaican origin, its boats arrived over the weekend intending to conduct fishing operations in southern Belize. The Fisheries and Environment Departments say that PG Fishing does not yet have a license […]
Leaders of many countries are gathering in Copenhagen, Denmark to come up with viable solutions to the problem of climate change. But as soon as the talks started, they broke down because leaders of developing nations are split over a new proposal called the Tuvalu Protocol. The Pacific island proposed the protocol, which forces deeper […]
Lack of funding is also affecting one organization that deals with the issue of the environment. That’s the Protected Areas Conservation Trust which today launched a new initiative called Boldly Moving Forward. The name for the Institutional Assessment Initiative was chosen because the organization is taking a critical look at its performance in light of […]
On Monday night we reported that the vessels of a Jamaican Fishing company had docked in southern Belize to, among other things, begin fishing for the export market. That company, which goes by the name of PG Fishing Company Limited, is here through a joint agreement with a local fishing group, the Rio Grande Cooperative. […]
The owners of the WesterHaven, the cargo ship that ran aground on the reef near Caye Glory may end up paying millions for damages. Closing arguments in that case were heard in front of Chief Justice Abdulai Conteh last week. But the cost of litigation has not deterred owners of vessels from being more careful […]
There are environmental groups that lobby for protection of national parks, animal life and even the reef. These Non Governmental Organizations often lack funds and survive on a shoe string budget. But OCEANA is not the run of the mill N.G.O. It was founded in 2001, and has since opened offices in Europe and the […]
