A nationwide cleanup of the country’s coastline, riverbanks and waterways will take place this Saturday as part of the twentieth Annual International Coastal Cleanup. According to local organiser and Director of Education at the Belize Scout Association, Roberto Harrison, everyone is encouraged to come out to collect the debris polluting the country’s waterways. This will […]
This evening seven students were recognized for their winning entries in the first Hugh Parkey Foundation for Marine Awareness and Education poster art contest. The lucky winners are: Malcolm Tillett of Corozal Nazarene School who captured first prize in the lower division category, while Holy Redeemer student Erwin Quintanilla walked off with the first prize […]
At least thirty fishermen took time out this week to learn how to use equipment like the marine radio and global positioning system, G.P.S. The reason is that these devices will help in the co-management of the remote areas where they fish, namely Lighthouse and Glover’s Reefs. Alan Burn, Member, National Fishermen Cooperative “It’s important […]
Over the next three days officials from the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre and representatives of more than thirty regional organisations will meet in Belize to discuss information sharing and mitigation strategies against natural disasters and the impact of climate change. According to organisers, the idea is to pool ideas, methods, and resources to promote […]
It may be a unique and fascinating part of Belize’s natural heritage, but without proper management the Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary would not be in business very long. Today the protected area east of Belize City received a major boost as fifty tour guides completed a specialized course in dealing with the park’s plentiful population […]
Global warming, more officially known as climate change: it’s one of those concepts that all of us have heard of, but few of us have any idea what to do about it. The issue, which for Belize could be critical, was today once again the subject of discussion by politicians and academics. News Five’s Jacqueline […]
In related news, local and international marine experts continue to scratch their heads trying to figure out how to remove the wayward vessel “Transfer” from its perch atop a section of Lighthouse Reef atoll. While officials had hoped to dislodge the wreck during a salvage operation earlier this month, reports to News Five indicate that […]
Anyone who lives in this part of the world has noticed changes in the frequency and intensity of hurricanes and perhaps even changes in temperature and rainfall. But more often than not, the people of Belize and the wider Caribbean rely on information about the climate issues affecting our lives from outside sources. If our […]
Because Belize is so blessed with an abundance of animal and marine life and has an extensive network of national parks and reserves, Belizeans might sometimes take it all for granted. But a seminar this week on the Cartagena Convention on Biological Diversity is a reminder that with all our natural wealth comes certain responsibilities, […]
Almost seven months later, a ship that ran aground on Lighthouse Reef is finally being moved. The Belize Port Authority announced today that a salvage operation to tow the vessel “Transfer” is underway and the ship should be off the reef by Saturday. Once it is dislodged, the Port says it will be towed west […]
There is crime news, including a murder and armed robbery… political developments in the form of a Cabinet shuffle, and new management at D.F.C…. but we’ll lead tonight’s broadcast with the story that is likely to make this weekend a time of stress for most Belizeans: Hurricane Emily. With that storm now at category three […]
It is no secret that for the last thirty years fishermen from neighbouring Honduras and Guatemala, having emptied their own waters of edible seafood, have been working hard to deplete ours. With enforcement of anti-poaching laws hampered by lack of resources and political will, there is hope that a new strategy, unveiled this morning by […]
Twelve years after the second largest national park in the country was established, a plan to better manage the forty-two thousand acre tract of land has been signed. The agreement is between the Sarstoon Temash National Park and the Sarstoon Temash Institute for Indigenous Management in the Toledo District. It is intended to enhance the […]
The fourth annual compilation of Belize’s environmental statistics was officially launched this morning…and major findings are signalling a dramatic increase in the amount of pollutants contaminating the country’s land, sea, and air. According to the experts: In 1980, there were just twenty-seven thousand households in Belize…in the year 2000, that figure had risen to approximately […]
The question of hunting whales will probably never dominate any local talk shows, after all, the only whales we have in Belize are actually sharks. But when it comes to whether or not whales should be hunted in the rest of the world, Belize does have a say. After severe drops in the number of […]
There have been a few false alarms raised over the last several weeks, but today we can unofficially declare that the 2005 dry season has come to an end. A light overnight rain over the north and central parts of Belize developed into heavy showers during the afternoon to bring welcome relief to an area […]
The rumour mill was in high gear today…no, not about politics, credit ratings or long lists of fired contract officers. No, today’s gossip concerned oil. That’s right–black gold, Texas Tea… all allegedly gushing from a well being drilled in Spanish Lookout. Well, like most rumours, this one had a kernel of truth. There is a […]
In a climate of shaky national finances, this quasi-government institution sits on a solid financial foundation, looking forward to playing an even stronger role in safeguarding the nation’s environment. Its name? PACT, and today the organisation paused to celebrate its birthday. News 5’s Jacqueline Woods has more. Valerie Woods, Executive Director, PACT ?It is not […]
Another young man was shot to death on the streets of Belize City last night, several robberies, a rape and burglary were reported, and this afternoon two men accused of a 2003 murder were acquitted in the Supreme Court. But we’ll lead our newscast tonight with a story that, while less spectacular, may be more […]
It is the oldest and largest environmental conservation organisation in Belize. And tonight, the Belize Audubon Society will take time out to report to its membership on the organisation’s activities over the last twelve months and present its plan of action for the way forward. Advocacy Manager Tanya Williams-Thompson says Audubon’s thirty-sixth Annual General Meeting […]
The hurricane season doesn’t officially begin for another two weeks, but here we are, still in midst of a record drought…with a named storm on our doorstep–that is our back doorstep. Jacqueline Woods has more. Jacqueline Woods, Reporting Tropical storms in the Pacific Ocean rarely threaten Central America. That is why this unusual weather system […]
Here on Regent Street in downtown Belize City the only birds we get to see belong to a flock of resident pigeons who have the uncanny ability to drop dirty little bombs on anyone entering the station. But there’s more to bird watching than urban terrorism, as News 5’s Jacqueline Woods discovered. Jacqueline Woods, Reporting […]
If you work in conservation, there is twenty thousand Belize dollars up for grabs in the annual Ford Motor Company Conservation and Environmental Grants. The 2005 edition of the competition was launched this morning during brief ceremonies in Belize City. According to Ford’s regional manager Fabrice Jund, the award is an opportunity for the multi-national […]
An old Bob Dylan song tells us that you don’t need a weatherman to tell you which way the wind is blowing…and Belizeans certainly don’t need a television newscast to tell them that the country is in the grip of a nationwide drought. What News Five’s Jacqueline Woods can tell you, however, is how serious […]
Belizean scientist Nicole Auil has been honoured for her tireless work with manatees. That’s the word from Great Britain where in official ceremonies at the Royal Geographical Society in London, Auil and seven other conservationists from around the world were recognised last week for their work to protect the planet’s natural resources. Auil’s honour is […]
