The Minister of Education considers it a point of pride that at least he is not being accused of ‘stealing’ the honorarium money, even drawing comparison to the infamous ‘Corozal Pibil Party’ of a few years ago. He also concedes that the Government, having received the approval of the Ministry of Finance could have called […]
The issue of the million dollar bonus for non-striking teachers is one that refuses to go away, particularly since the union believes that it will have a negative impact on an already strict 2017 budget. B.N.T.U. President Luke Palacio says that Faber is purposely confusing an honorarium with a salary. Luke Palacio, President, Belize […]
In responding to comments made by Faber on Monday, Palacio says that the Minister of Education is spinning the truth by accusing the union of disrupting the ministry’s attempts to complete the scheduled make up time for teachers. Luke Palacio, President, Belize National Teachers Union “The other misleading thing that the minister has attempted […]
There is a most disturbing allegation being made tonight against an officer of the court, one in which a sitting magistrate is being accused of having committed a sexual offence against a woman. According to information reaching our newsroom, the magistrate in question purportedly invited the woman to his residence on April eleventh to have […]
The million-dollar bonus to be provided by the Ministry of Education to non-striking teachers during the eleven-day strike last October and the subsequent attempt to make up days lost in the classroom in January remains on the table tonight. Minister of Education Patrick Faber came out swinging against his opponents on the issue today on […]
Even though the money was paid after the start of the financial year, the minister claims it was taken from the previous financial year’s Budget. But it is known from accounting practices in the Government system that that is not typically how it works. The minister claimed to be disappointed that the press and the […]
The minister acknowledged that he was in something of a catch-twenty-two situation, facing the wrath of unionized teachers who feel he has disrespected them, and the expectation of teachers who did not stand with their brothers and sisters that he would come to their rescue. But Faber contends that he has done the right thing […]
Senator Elena Smith will assume office in July as president of the Belize National Teacher’s Union, after a hard-fought victory in the national convention in San Roman, Corozal last week. She will be the third female in the post after Helen Stuart and Linda Bennett. Over the weekend, Minister of Education and Deputy Prime Minister […]
We know for sure that the minister didn’t drop in at Escuela Mexico in San Roman. But his driver was seen around the area along with at least one other operative and the minister was said to have met with teachers in Corozal before the convention took place. But Faber denied it all and maintained […]
Turning to crime…a deadly machete mayhem in Trio Village over the weekend has resulted in two men being hospitalized, while the mutilated body of another remains at the morgue. On Saturday night, twenty-two-year-old Santiago Garcia, along with twenty-nine-year-old Arturo Choc and Leonardo Ba, was attacked by a group of machete wielding men while walking down […]
We start our newscast tonight with a murder deep in the south where a Guatemalan businessman was stabbed to death a stone’s throw away from the western border near the southern village of Jalacte. On Thursday night, a relative of Carlos Pop Xol notified police that they had discovered his motionless body a short distance […]
Senator for Trade Unions and Civil Society, Elena Smith, is president-elect of the Belize National Teachers’ Union. She defied the odds following allegations of tampering and interference in the executive election of the Union unseen in its half-century-plus long existence. After a delay by the Council of Management to investigate the interference allegations, the vote […]
A family up north is grieving the untimely death of one of its own. The body of Baltazar Lino was retrieved from a four feet deep well in the outskirts of the village of Progresso, Corozal District. It is believed he was killed by a jaguar. Forty-four-year old Lino’s body was found on Thursday night […]
The impromptu Council of Management meeting that delayed elections also forced the Belize National Teachers’ Union to postpone the hearing and voting on five resolutions presented to the Annual Convention. Discussion eventually took place during the counting of votes. Of the five resolutions two were voted down, both related to financial matters. Of the approved […]
On Thursday we told you about the backlash against the Government’s dismissal of alleged manipulation of audits by senior management of the General Sales Tax Department conducted by lower level officials, such as officer in charge of Punta Gorda Town Elmer Reyes. Reyes wrote Solicitor General Nigel Hawke outlining his concerns, but he was dismissed […]
The fury over photojournalist Tony Rath’s blog continues to burn like wildfire online, where responses to the five-part article are being posted to Facebook in the wake of the lengthy tell-all. Rath has chosen to document his daughter Rebecca’s journey as a local contestant in the Miss Belize pageant to the world stage at Miss […]
What became of the commissioned artwork remains unknown. Sanker maintains that the painting was deliberately set aside in favor of a Pen Cayetano piece and that he personally hand delivered the painting to Rebecca Rath before boarding her flight. Alex Sanker, Belizean Artist “This is actually a print off the original that I did. […]
As we told you Senator Elena Smith is the new President of the B.N.T.U. After approximately two and a half hours of voting, almost that much in counting and several moments of angst, the Belize National Teachers’ Union has elected Elena Smith as president. She won with a majority of the vote in a three-cornered […]
But before the announcement of the winner, the B.N.T.U.’s Council of Management had to grapple with a problem unprecedented in its history – the prospect of alleged political interference tainting the vote. For that reason, it brought business to a halt for much of this morning as it deliberated. Discussions were heated, and reports from […]
Today’s convention of the B.N.T.U. saw an appearance from two Belize City activists, Geovannie Brackett of COLA and Raymond Rivers. The Union has had a cordial, if arms’ length, relationship with Brackett’s organization. But while reporting that COLA has a particular preference, Brackett told us that their primary function in San Roman was to observe […]
Information to News Five is that some teachers in the Anglican and Government-managed school systems received as much as five hundred dollars each as their honorarium or reward for not participating in the Belize National Teachers’ Union’s strike last October and for going to the classroom. While that is not confirmed and officially the Ministry […]
Earlier this month, we broke the news of an internal statement within the General Sales Tax Department where Officer in Charge of the Punta Gorda office, Elmer Reyes, alleged that there was influence in the result of the auditor’s evaluation and subsequent report. Reyes openly questioned whether any law exists that allows for the management […]
Miss Universe 2016, held in Manila, Philippines at the end of January, is now several months behind avid fans of pageantry. The stellar performance of Miss Belize Universe, Rebecca Rath, galvanized Belizeans all over, despite failing to place in the top thirteen contestants. But tonight, there is controversy brewing in the aftermath of a five-part […]
According to the husband and wife couple, they were largely responsible for the organization of Rebecca’s trip to Miss Universe, minus Enriquez’s input as country director. Furthermore, the family claims that Rebecca still has not received a majority of the prizes she won last year during the Miss Belize pageant. On the other end of […]
The Belize Police Department is reeling from yet another black eye tonight, following the arrest and arraignment of one of its own, who has been charged for theft. An operation at a Chinese grocery store on Good Friday has landed a woman police constable in hot water after it was discovered that she stole money […]
