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While strike action is highly anticipated when the twenty-one-day period expires, first vice president of the Public Service Union, Dean Flowers says that a work-to-rule campaign, as an initial form of industrial action, has already taken effect. He says this must occur because the unions see this as a fight against economic injustice and a […]
Written on April 13, 2021 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Lookout for Industrial Action from Unions
But with the state of the economy, what are the options available? Dean Flowers says that public sector spending has been driving the economy for over the past decade under the Barrow administration. He explains how the decision on public officers’ salaries and increments, as well as other cuts to government purchasing, will have ripple […]
Written on April 13, 2021 | Posted in
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Is the People’s United Party going on the offensive with the unions? Last week, three advertisements were released hitting out at the unions about their positions on the cost cutting measures. Those ads went so far to label the union leaders’ decisions as “political.” Today, P.S.U. first vice-president Dean Flowers spoke out against the attack, […]
Written on April 13, 2021 | Posted in
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Phase-three of the COVID-19 vaccination exercise carried out by the Ministry of Health officially opened today. News Five’s Duane Moody reports. Duane Moody, Reporting Another phase of the vaccination process has officially opened. Effective today, members of law enforcement agencies can now access vaccination stations across the country to get their jab of the […]
Written on April 13, 2021 | Posted in
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Some people have resisted getting vaccinated and the numbers are not as high as expected. But while the vaccination is not mandatory, the Ministry of Health and Wellness is encouraging those within all phases to get their shot as an added layer of protection against COVID-19. Maternal and Child Health Technical Advisor, Doctor Natalia Largaespada […]
Written on April 13, 2021 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Almost 30,000 Persons Vaccinated in Phases 1 & 2
The Ministry of Health and Wellness says the recent sudden death of a man in his fifties from the Belize District is not associated with the COVID-19 vaccine. The family of the security guard alleges that hours after he got inoculated with the AstraZeneca vaccine, he died. Doctor Beer told News Five today that an […]
Written on April 13, 2021 | Posted in
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Over the weekend, sixteen new cases were identified across the country and fourteen new recoveries. No deaths were recorded over the weekend leaving the COVID-19 death toll at three hundred and eighteen. There are seventy-six samples that are under investigation and forty-one active cases as of April twelfth. Doctor Beer says that numbers are great, […]
Written on April 13, 2021 | Posted in
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Comments Off on COVID Numbers Still Low; What Does it Mean?
Today was back-to-school day for a handful of students who have not seen the inside of a classroom since schools were closed in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As we reported a few weeks ago, the Ministry of Education, following a green light from Cabinet, is proceeding with a gradual return to face-to-face […]
Written on April 12, 2021 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Back-to-School Day for Students, One Year Later
While the budget presentation was the purpose of last Friday’s meeting of the House of Representatives, it was what prompted the walk out by members of the Opposition that stirred up a lot of attention going into the weekend. News Five’s Paul Lopez took a closer look at the strong reactions to the use of […]
Written on April 12, 2021 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Racial Slur or Heated Put Down? Area Reps Respond to “Boy.”
This morning images surfaced showing the carcasses of over two hundred heads of chickens along the highway in the Spanish Lookout Community. News Five has since learnt that the chickens died as a result of heat strokes, caused by the over one hundred degree weekend temperatures. According to Henry Wiebe, a member of the Health […]
Written on April 12, 2021 | Posted in
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It seems the recent increase in the price of regular gasoline just in time for Easter travel across the country, has settled back down again. Today the Ministry of Finance announced that on Tuesday, April thirteenth the pump price for regular gasoline will decrease by thirty-nine cents from eleven dollars and five cents to ten […]
Written on April 12, 2021 | Posted in
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Late this evening, OCEANA Belize issued a release saying that G.O.B.’s dismissal of the cumulative impact of multiple cruise port proposals is short-sighted. The release comes on the heels of an environmental clearance granted to Portico Enterprise Limited for the construction and operation of Port of Magical Belize, a cruise ship port and day resort […]
Written on April 12, 2021 | Posted in
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We also asked the PM for comments on the Public Service Union’s call for him to rein in his Minister of Health, Michel Chebat. On April first, the Public Service Union issued a press release calling out the Minister of Health for what they term bullish behaviors that are making Public Officers uncomfortable and promoting […]
Written on April 12, 2021 | Posted in
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Comments Off on PM to Unions: “When Baby Want Cry They Will Cry”
Back in March we told you about the sale of four aircraft under the Briceno administration which were finalized in February of 2021. The two Grumman Gulfstream G-Two and two Hawker Sidley H.S. one-twenty-five’s were sold for only five hundred and forty thousand dollars and listed as unserviceable. The Minister of Finance, according to the […]
Written on April 12, 2021 | Posted in
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After weeks of back and forth between the Prime Minister, his Cabinet and Financial Secretary and the joint unions who have now filed notice of industrial action, the 2021-22 national budget was presented in the House of Representatives this morning. News Five’s Isani Cayetano has the details. Prime Minister John Briceño “The sixth most […]
Written on April 9, 2021 | Posted in
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Once today’s House Meeting was adjourned, the press met Prime Minister John Briceño outside the National Assembly chambers. As viewers may be aware, while PM Briceño has debated numerous budget presentations as Opposition, today was his first budget presentation as leader of the country. His presentation went on for approximately eighty-three minutes, a personal record. […]
Written on April 9, 2021 | Posted in
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Comments Off on PM Lays Out Financial Crisis in Budget Presentation
The five-member opposition, led by Collet Area Representative Patrick Faber, walked out of the National Assembly this afternoon, following the use of an offensive remark made by Cayo South Area Representative Julius Espat. In rising on a point of order, the Leader of the Opposition was referred to as a boy. The term, while belittling […]
Written on April 9, 2021 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Opposition Walks Out after Unparliamentary Language is Used
A new area representative for Corozal Bay took the oath of office in the National Assembly this morning, succeeding her late brother who lost his battle with COVID-19 shortly after unseating former Area Rep Pablo Marin in November 2020. Elvia Vega won decisively over U.D.P. opponent Hilberto Campo during a by-election on March third and […]
Written on April 9, 2021 | Posted in
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The rapport between the unions and government has been generally contentious. What began as consultations during the preparation of the 2021 budget has resulted in a salary cut that sees the wages of teachers and public officers being reduced by ten percent. The P.S.U. has expressed discontent by serving a twenty-one day notice of intended […]
Written on April 9, 2021 | Posted in
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Comments Off on G.O.B. and Unions Agree on Need for Vigorous Tax Collection
While the PM did mention the ten percent salary cuts and three-year increment freeze for the public service, he did not belabor the point during his budget presentation. Outside the House, reporters asked PM Briceño whether he had taken a deliberate decision to spend so little time on the these controversial issues. Prime Minister […]
Written on April 9, 2021 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Budget Presentation Makes Brief Mention of Wage Cuts
The Government of Belize is putting in place the necessary measures to keep the public service operational should the Public Service Union take industrial action. As we have reported, the Public Service Union has already served G.O.B. with a twenty-one-day notice. Among the public servants are key revenue collectors whose absence from office could possibly […]
Written on April 9, 2021 | Posted in
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Comments Off on G.O.B. Prepares for Industrial Action
The Belize National Teachers Union is responding to government’s announcement that it will proceed with a ten percent salary reduction, as well as an increment freeze. On Wednesday evening, Prime Minister Briceño, in a televised statement, informed the nation that his administration will move ahead with the wage cut which will be reflected in Friday’s […]
Written on April 8, 2021 | Posted in
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Comments Off on B.N.T.U. Prepares to Respond to Government’s Salary Cut
According to Senator Smith, notwithstanding the fact that the P.S.U. is taking the lead on serving government notice, their collaboration with other labor organizations will present a unified position. Isani Cayetano “If the P.S.U. takes the lead in serving government with a twenty-one day notice, where would the B.N.T.U. fall in that timeline in […]
Written on April 8, 2021 | Posted in
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Comments Off on B.N.T.U. Likely to Follow P.S.U.’s Lead in Serving G.O.B. Notice
At a U.S. Embassy event this afternoon, Minister Kareem Musa was asked about the government’s decision to forge ahead with the public service pay cut. Minister Musa says that the decision was a tough one and it pains him to tell his employees, like police officers, that they must do this. He says that it […]
Written on April 8, 2021 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Police Minister Says a Salary Cut is Fair in Light of Burgeoning Wage Bill
And Musa says while the decision to cut salaries was a tough one to make, it was fully supported by the cabinet. Musa also told reporters today that this is not the only measure being taken. Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs “The full support of the cabinet, of course. The decision was made. […]
Written on April 8, 2021 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Cabinet Supports the 10% Salary Cut!
