The government’s proposed replacement hospital for the Western Regional Hospital in Belmopan has raised serious concerns, particularly for the K.H.M.H. Workers Union. In a release issued on May twenty-fifth, the union pointed to a myriad other reasons why the ninety million dollars would be better spent in other areas of the public health sector. The […]
Prime Minister John Briceño returned to the country today and was met at the PGIA by a group of reporters armed with questions about the controversial Definitive Agreement with Portico Enterprises Limited. As we reported last week, the elusive Definitive Agreement that was signed by representatives of Portico, the parent company for Port of Magical […]
Will the Briceño Administration launch a full investigation into Erwin Contreras and his decision to sign the Definitive Agreement with Portico Enterprises Limited? As we have been reporting, the former U.D.P. Minister of Economic Development was the only government official who signed the controversial document. And, according to the former Attorney General, Michael Peyrefitte, no one […]
This morning on Open Your Eyes, Cabinet Minister Henry Charles Usher also chimed in on the conversation surrounding the definitive agreement. He dissected the document from various perspectives, including its legality. According to the parliamentarian, members of the previous administration cannot say that they were unaware of the existence of the agreement and what is […]
The Port of Belize Limited has remained mum in a matter involving the Christian Workers Union, regarding compensation for stevedores who claim that they lost significant wages when A.S.R./B.S.I. transferred its export operations to Big Creek. All parties, including the Ministry of Labor, met as a tripartite body earlier this month in an attempt to […]
A decision on preliminary question of law regarding a claim brought against the Christian Workers Union by the Port of Belize Limited has been delivered by the High Court. In 2022, the Port of Belize filed a lawsuit for damages reportedly arising from industrial action taken by the C.W.U. and six other defendants. This followed […]
Tonight, we take a closer look into the Definitive Agreement between the Government of Belize and Portico. While the binding contract between both parties was signed just one month before the last general elections, former members of the Barrow administration are on record stating that they were unaware of such an agreement. U.D.P. Chairman Michael […]
According to former Attorney General Michael Peyrefitte, the previous Minister of Economic Development had no legal authority to sign a Definitive Agreement with Portico Enterprise Limited. Peyrefitte says that the concessions and obligation outlined in the agreement cannot be agreed to by one single minister. He also stressed that the document was never presented to […]
If the former Attorney General is saying that signing the Definitive Agreement is unlawful, then should an investigation be launched by the proper authorities? That’s what he was asked today during the interview. News Five asked if he believes that Erwin Contreras should be investigation. Here is his response. Michael Peyrefitte, Former U.D.P. Attorney […]
One of the key concessions made in the Definitive Agreement is that the government will “ensure that no third party (potentially) competing with the Developer shall, within a twenty-five mile radius, be given any tax benefits or duty concessions for a period of twenty-five years from the commencement date.” This would then mean that Waterloo’s […]
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed earlier today between Saint John’s College and a Guatemalan university. The partnership is to establish a bachelor’s degree program in engineering to be offered to Belizeans in country. It amounts to huge savings for students who traditionally would have to travel overseas to pursue a degree in this area […]
The Briceño administration’s plan to build a ninety million dollar health facility in Belmopan is being met with concern, as well as serious criticism from various corners, including the K.H.M.H. Workers Union. The tertiary care hospital boasts a capacity of one hundred and fifty beds and will be financed through a loan from the Saudi […]
At the last house meeting, Prime Minister John Briceño introduced the Civil Asset Recovery and Unexplained Wealth Bill. The proposed legislation, once passed, empowers the Financial Intelligence Unit to reclaim ill-gotten assets and wealth obtained through criminal activities. It is a bold step that will see not only politicians and public officers, but also private […]
But is there a statute of limitation for this proposed legislation? It’s a question that was posed to Minister of Human Development, Families and Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Dolores Balderamos Garcia. She, too, chimed in on the Civil Asset Recovery and Unexplained Wealth Bill, which the National Trade Union Congress of Belize believes will provide greater […]
A new contractor general, whose functions include the monitoring of the award and implementation of public contracts to ensure their conformity with procurement-related rules and laws, was sworn in today. This morning at Belize House, career public officer Maria Arthurs was administered the oath of office by Governor General Froyla Tzalam. During the sitting of […]
Earlier today, Justice Antoinette Moore sentenced Kareem Martinez, a former police corporal to eighteen years in prison. On April twenty-first, the twenty-nine-year-old was found guilty of manslaughter for the shooting death of fourteen-year-old Laddie Gillett that occurred almost two years ago in Placencia. After hearing the statements of two character witnesses and a sworn statement […]
The Christian Workers Union, the Port of Belize Limited and the Ministry of Labor met earlier this month to commence negotiations for a sugar redundancy package for stevedores. That meeting was held on May eleventh and when the C.W.U. exited the Toucan Hall at the Biltmore, its president was circumspect on details of the discussion. […]
According to Hyde, the C.W.U. is of the impression that the Port of Belize seems to believe that government is powerless in bringing pressure to bear on P.B.L. to do the right thing by stevedores. He also says that the matter should have been raised during the house meeting last Friday. Evan ‘Mose’ Hyde, […]
This afternoon, Deputy Prime Minister Cordel Hyde, the sibling of former C.W.U. president ‘Mose’ Hyde, weighed in on the matter. The Minister of Natural Resources says that it is time for government to seriously think through a nationalization of the Port of Belize. Cordel Hyde, Deputy Prime Minister “We should consider very seriously returning […]
The principals of Port of Magical Belize issued a release on Tuesday stating that Portico Enterprises Limited, Boskalis International and Royal Caribbean Group have signed a memorandum of understanding to form a joint venture to develop, manage and operate the Port of Magical Belize. The release references a memorandum of understanding signed with the Government […]
An entire week has passed since the lifeless body of nineteen-year-old Imari Galvez was discovered in a state of decomposition off the Hummingbird Highway. The Belmopan resident is believed to have been on a night out in the city before she was lured to her death. Her family laid her to rest on Friday. Police […]
Thirty-one-year-old Wilmer Javier Rivera appeared in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court earlier today where he was arraigned on two indictable offenses of attempted murder and use of deadly means of harm. The charges follow an incident on May nineteenth, where Rivera inflicted multiple stab wounds on Jasmine Aguilar. The woman was standing on Linda Vista […]
Thirty-seven-year-old Basilio Ack is out on bail after pleading guilty to a single charge of sexual assault. The police officer is accused of squeezing his colleague’s breast during an incident that was reported on March twentieth. Earlier today, the resident of Mahogany Heights appeared unrepresented before Senior Magistrate Aretha Ford where he pleaded not guilty […]
A taxi driver was gunned down not far from where he lived on Ordonez Avenue in the Lake Independence area of Belize City. Cecil Buckley, a man who, from all accounts, was a hard-working cab driver, was targeted shortly after six on Sunday evening as he stood on the street. Residents heard three gunshots and […]
On Friday morning in Belize City, Jasmine Aguilar was viciously stabbed as she waited for a cab to pick her up near Linda Vista Street. It was later discovered that the cruel attack which left Aguilar hospitalized at the K.H.M.H., was carried out by her ex-boyfriend. It’s another case of gender-based violence being committed against […]
