In the south, Senior Customs Officer Richard Garbutt and Junior Customs Officer Jareth Tillett are among a group of seven persons who were arraigned today in respect of charges brought against them for handling contraband goods in Punta Gorda over the weekend. On Saturday night, the men were caught red-handed as they were loading up […]
News spread at the speed of lightening today about the purported resignation of Doctor Marvin Manzanero, the Director of Health Services, who has been the face in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. It came on the heels of a very controversial amendment to the quarantine regulations penalizing the DHS if he fails to provide […]
The new statutory instrument took effect on Tuesday, but as the government said today, alternative recommendations will be made. Now, serious concerns were raised at the level of the National Oversight Committee regarding the responsibility of the Director of Health Services to surrender the names of all COVID-19 patients to the Minister of National Security. […]
The S.I. legally compels the Director of Health Services to hand over the names of all COVID-19 patients across the country giving rise to the question of doctor/patient confidentiality. According to the Attorney General, the decision to make the list compulsory came from the National Oversight Committee and Cabinet in a recent meeting. And cabinet, […]
With a limit of only ten patrons or congregants, restaurants and churches can once again reopen, however, there are clear rules that speak to licenses in order to operate such businesses in the case of restaurants. As far as churches, the AG says that a celebrant and his acolytes are allowed along with ten parishioners, […]
The Phillip Goldson International Airport is less than a week away from reopening and once again final preparations are being made to ensure that strict protocols are put in place where COVID-19 is concerned. Despite government’s best efforts, the Belize Tourism Industry Association wrote to the Prime Minister on Independence Day urging him and the […]
On Independence Day, a drug plane landing just outside of Santa Martha Village in the Orange Walk District. Five persons, including the owner of the farm, a Mennonite, a farmhand and a minor, are detained and charges are expected to be placed on them. Police did not find the drugs, but found a number of […]
So five persons have been detained and two are expected to be charged on Wednesday morning with facilitating the landing of a plane on an unregistered aerodrome. But where is the suspect illicit cargo? Commissioner of Police Chester Williams believes that the cargo is still in the country and a joint team of Police Officers […]
The borders are closed but illegal activity and contraband continue to flourish. In the south, there was a sizeable bust of contraband goods in Punta Gorda under the cover of darkness on Saturday night which has resulted in criminal charges being brought against seven individuals, including Senior Customs Officer Richard Garbutt and Junior Customs Officer […]
All ports of entry, including harbours, are closed under the existing statutory instrument. And police are deployed at various hot spots along the borders to prevent the entry of contraband goods and the spread of the novel coronavirus by border jumpers. When News Five spoke with Gilbert Gordon, Deputy Comptroller of Customs, earlier today, he […]
While the police department does not have the powers of arrest where uncustomed goods are concerned, a separate investigation is being conducted by the Customs and Excise Department and additional charges are expected to be brought against all seven individuals. Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police “I communicated again with the comptroller of customs and […]
There were forty-five new cases of the novel coronavirus identified over the extended weekend, bringing the overall number of positive cases for the country to one thousand six hundred and thirty-five. Over the three days, a total of six hundred and twenty-nine samples were processed: sixteen returned positive on Saturday; twenty-one on Sunday and eight […]
The Quarantine Regulations have been further amended now that the number of COVID cases appears to be decelerating. The new regulations allow for a soft re-opening of the certain businesses. Beginning today, in house dining in restaurants is allowed for not more than ten persons at a given time. This also applies to salons, diners […]
If you are travelling from Belize, the following is information that you need to factor in your plans. The Office of the Director of Health Services says that there is no requirement in terms of PCR or any other test for SARS-CoV2. In respect of those persons leaving for essential reasons, including students and persons […]
There is a pair of unrelated cases being investigated as possible COVID-19 deaths in Belize City and Orange Walk where two women have succumbed to respiratory complications. On Thursday, an employee of the Elections and Boundaries Department was found dead inside her home in the Belama area and today health officials are conducting a Gene […]
An elderly woman from Orange Walk District is also believed to have died from complications related to COVID-19. Notwithstanding an offer for the octogenarian to get tested, her family reportedly declined the suggestion. In the wake of her death, a Gene Expert test has been done and health officials are awaiting the results. Earlier this […]
There are a total of twenty-three new cases of COVID-19 to report on tonight. That figure, nonetheless, is yet to be confirmed by the Ministry of Health. According to Doctor Marvin Manzanero, a hundred and seventy-four samples were tested overnight and the results of those specimens are still trickling in. A majority of those positive […]
There are concerns being raised at the level of the National Oversight Committee that notwithstanding the cancellation of activities this Independence Day weekend, there may be a spike in the transmission of COVID-19. That’s because it is anticipated that Belizeans will still be socializing and ignoring existing regulations to combat the spread of the deadly […]
As we reported earlier this week, embattled former B.T.L. Chairman Nestor Vasquez has vacated other posts he has held on various statutory bodies, including Chair of the Social Security Board Investment Committee, the Integrity Commission and the Central Bank of Belize. Vasquez’s abrupt departure from these appointments come on the heels of allegations that he […]
It is expected that Alan Slusher will replace Nestor Vasquez as Chair of the B.T.L. Board of Directors. He will be appointed as interim chairman. Slusher is a former advisor to Prime Minister Dean Barrow and has served as Central Bank Governor. The P.U.P. is criticizing the Prime Minister’s choice saying that replacing Vasquez with […]
Belize Territorial Volunteer Wil Maheia announced on Thursday that he will run in the Fort George Division under the Belize Progressive Party. According to Maheia, who has lost twice in Punta Gorda as an independent candidate, because the Fort George Division is smaller, his campaign could be easily financed. If he is nominated, Maheia will […]
Former Central Bank Governor Alan Slusher has been selected to replace Nestor Vasquez as chairman of the Belize Telemedia Limited’s board of directors. His appointment as presiding officer will be short-lived, as his tenure is also set to come to an end in late October when Prime Minister Barrow demits office. In the wake of […]
The Net Vasquez fiasco continues to reverberate since the start of the week and there is no telling of the length of time it will take for the inquiry to conclude—considering how far back an audit of Vasquez’s personal expenses goes—and it can run past the term of this government. Whether there will be criminal […]
In the wake of the allegations made against Nestor Vasquez on Monday, the longstanding chairman of the national telephone company demitted office on Tuesday as the Board when the Directors confirmed an investigation is to take place. Unlike former B.T.L. board member Doug Singh, who was also Vasquez’s colleague on the S.S.B. Board of Directors, […]
When the scandalous matter was raised in the House of Representatives, B.T.L.’s fiscal performance was the topic of a testy exchange between the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition during Wednesday’s sitting. In the context of the latest scandal, the company’s financial outlook was brought to the forefront of the discussion where John […]
