With all the talk of a salary deduction, there are serious concerns about the legality of such a decision. In fact, the question of whether or not government has the right to withhold wages is front and center of B.N.T.U.’s latest round of discussions. But what does it all mean for the political aspirations of […]
With all these national issues on the front burner, there is another of interest. A baby was delivered at the Western Regional Hospital in darkness on Wednesday night. While the name of the mother is not going to be revealed, we can say that the baby and the mother are in good health. Just before […]
House Speaker Michael Peyrefitte filed suit against both the Attorney General Vanessa Retreage and the Auditor General Dorothy Bradley on Thursday. The suit arises from a three volume special audit into widespread scandals at the Immigration and Nationality Department. Peyrefitte wants the court to quash the decision of the Auditor General in publishing in the […]
Last week the Opposition People’s United Party declared Belize’s foreign reserves to be in “crisis” mode following the payment of sixty-seven point three million U.S. dollars as the first of two payments to Dunkeld International Investments and B.T.L. Employees’ Trust in satisfaction of the settlement agreement made by the Permanent Court of International Arbitration and […]
Western Union and MoneyGram enjoy much usage in Belize as a means of sending and receiving money quickly and reliably and even cheaper. Of late there have been persistent reports that Belizeans have found a way to get around the issue of a shortage of US dollars. Some seeking U.S. currency are bypassing using local […]
Before taking up her position as Governor of the Central Bank, former Senator and Ambassador Joy Grant was Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit. Today, the Governor General confirmed the appointment of her replacement, Kent Clare. He takes office as of October eleventh, 2016. Clare was most recently Commissioner of the Income Tax Department. That […]
People’s power – that’s what moved government into action today. For days, environmentalists and other stakeholders have been on high alert. G.O.B. had given the green light for offshore seismic testing to a US company – TGS. They collect geo-scientific data that is sold off to oil and gas l exploration companies. They say this […]
This evening members of the Belize Coalition to Save Our Natural Heritage held a celebratory press briefing at the Audubon Society’s headquarters. The representatives of the Belize Tourism Industry Association; OCEANA Belize; World Wildlife Fund; Healthy Reefs Initiative; and the Audubon acknowledged, in particular, residents of the islands of Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker and […]
The surveys being conducted before the suspension was announced involved two separate methodologies: multi-beam and seep sea surveys. It is the latter that has the environmental community up in arms because, as Executive Director of the Belize Audubon Society Amanda Acosta explains, the type of survey involved leads in only one direction – to drilling […]
The local fishing and tourism community is keeping an eye on the ship involved in the survey. While it is not clear where it will be berthing tonight, the World Wildlife Fund’s Nadia Bood and the B.T.I.A.’s John Burgos said eyes will be spying on them to ensure they adhere to the decision by Government. […]
Having put their strike on hold, the teachers are still facing another battle; this time, its salary deductions for the striking days. Today, the Chief Education Officer Doctor Carol Babb issued yet another memo to general managers of government and grant-aided primary schools and board of managements and principals of secondary schools and junior colleges. […]
The total monthly salary is to be divided by the number of days in the month – thirty-one; then multiplied by the total number of days the teacher is out on strike. But do they have the authority to withhold the payments for teachers’ salaries? This afternoon, we spoke with the National President of the […]
Late this evening, News Five obtained a letter from Minister Faber sent to Luke Palacio. The letter makes two proposals in which the ministry is softening its position. Faber proposes that the B.N.T.U. utilizes the strike fund to pay the teachers who were on strike and second, that the Government of Belize, through the Ministry […]
The resignation from Cabinet of Minister of Agriculture, Gaspar Vega, has sent things in a tailspin in Belmopan. This afternoon, the Office the Prime Minister announced who succeeds Vega along with how the cabinet will now look. No surprise, the go-to Minister Godwin Hulse has been shuffled back and forth many times and has now […]
Late Tuesday evening, a memo from the Ministry of Education, titled “Withholding of Contributions towards Salaries for Teachers on Strike,” was released. According to the document, signed by Chief Education Officer Doctor Carol Babb, G.O.B. has decided to withhold salaries for teachers who went on strike from all government and grant-aided schools. The instructions issued […]
The memo from the Ministry of Education has obviously not been well received by the B.N.T.U. This afternoon, the B.N.T.U. executive met on the matter which could lead to further industrial action. President Luke Palacio said the union’s attorneys are carefully considering the legalities involved. Luke Palacio, National President, B.N.T.U. “We are also studying […]
According to the B.N.T.U., the salary deductions for the days on strike, is another form of attack against teachers. Palacio says that it is the school management that determines the issue of deductions. In a release this afternoon, B.N.T.U. calls the move a threat and bullying tactic by G.O.B. Luke Palacio, National President, B.N.T.U. […]
The memo requests information on the number of striking teachers to be delivered within hours earlier today. The B.N.T.U. believes that this latest missive is not an act of good faith on the part of government. Keesha Young, Executive Secretary, B.N.T.U. “We feel as if though that request is almost ridiculous. Schools were just […]
This afternoon the People’s United Party was quick to respond to the plight of the teachers. In a press conference today, Leader of the Opposition John Briceño demanded that the Government pay the teachers for the days of industrial action. Briceño says that G.O.B. has not only a legal obligation, but also a moral one […]
While the Ministry of Education and Belize National Teachers’ Union have not made up yet, the teachers were back in school in full force today. A check of schools across the Old Capital found students in their many uniforms returned to classes under the watchful eyes of their teachers. So even as the Union keeps […]
The overwhelming number of branches of the Belize National Teachers’ has agreed to end their eleven-day industrial action as of this evening and return to classes on Wednesday morning. This follows a round of meetings of the Council of Management and, this morning, of the ten branches of the Union at the same time countrywide. […]
The Union says that its eight-point agenda, the three percent salary adjustment deferral and Social Security coverage to and from work were just about fulfilled. There was no agreement on two points: the removal of Senator Godwin Hulse as Minister of Immigration and Police, and a five-person Senate Select Inquiry Committee rather than six. As […]
As the teachers and students return to class, there is concern about possible punitive measures including withholding of salaries for the eleven days of absences by teachers. The B.N.T.U. has promised to stand up for its teachers on this point, but the decision lies in the hands of school managements. Palacio made an urgent appeal […]
The B.N.T.U. picked up many endorsements from the wider society, but in terms of major support, both financial and in muscle on the street, was it enough to have pushed the strike even further? Palacio said he is reasonably satisfied by what the Union collected during its eleven days on strike. However, he said that […]
Senior Counsel Michael Young, a well-known and brilliant legal mind is dead at age sixty-one. He is the victim of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The shocking news of his untimely death wracked family and friends at home and abroad, as well as colleagues in the legal fraternity. Senior Counsel Young was also a member of […]
