In the sugar belt, cane farmers are extremely concerned about the first estimate which they are expected to receive per ton of sugar cane in the 2015/2016 crop. That price is being determined by the European Union which is the main export market for sugar from Belize. The estimated price of thirty-five dollars per ton […]
There is also another issue which is of concern to farmers, and it has to do with their quotas. Prior to the end of the last crop, the Sugar Industry Control Board had explored cutting quotas because they claimed that a survey conducted by Sugar Industry Research and Development Institute revealed that farmers did not […]
Six-year-old Kareema Encalada remains hospitalized at the Belize Medical Associates after being knocked down by a motorist in Ladyville a few weeks ago. The incident occurred on October twenty-eight when the primary school student, along with her sister, was hit whilst returning home on Perez Road. Since then Kareema has had to undergo several surgeries, […]
The single mother of three needs assistance with securing her daughter’s travel documents. The cost of Kareema’s airfare is separate from the amount necessary to defray expenses related to the surgery. Marla Marie Encalada, Mother of Accident Victims “I need help, support with the visa. If anyone is out there in the public that […]
This morning, Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin heard closing arguments in the libel and slander suits brought by Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega against Ramon Cervantes Junior. The claim, in a nutshell, is that Cervantes arranged the broadcast of a recording, on Orange Walk based Fiesta FM, in which Vega is named as involved in the […]
Rodwell Williams says the suit for slander is an appropriate charge, and he disagrees that the offence would have to be committed verbally. He told News Five that by his actions, if not his words, Cervantes Junior certainly slandered Vega. Rodwell Williams, Attorney for Gaspar Vega “We are not saying he said. If you […]
Eamon Courtenay is the attorney for Fiesta FM, the station on which it was said Cervantes caused the offensive recording to be broadcast. But Courtenay claims that the recording from Fiesta FM was never introduced into evidence, so Vega has no case against his client. Eamon Courtenay, Attorney for Fiesta FM “That is where […]
Williams admits that indeed, he has been forced to rely on secondary evidence because they could not get a copy of the allegedly offensive broadcast. He’s hoping that the Justice will allow that secondary evidence. Their case against Fiesta FM and even against Ramon Cervantes Jr. depends on it. Rodwell Williams, Attorney for Gaspar […]
On Tuesday, News Five broke the story of the removal of K.H.M.H. Board of Governors Chair Chandra Nisbet-Cansino. She was approached on Monday and asked to step down, although she had recently renewed her contract for an additional three years. We also reported that the reason for her removal was political, a direct repercussion of […]
Was fifty-one year old Arlie Andrew Avilez killed? An investigation is ongoing by officers attached to the Belama Police Station into the untimely death of the Belize City man on October twenty-fifth at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. The official police version is that on October ninth, Avilez was involved in a brawl on the […]
On October thirteenth, however, only Avilez would appear before Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith and arraigned for one count of wounding upon the Chinese businessman. He pleaded guilty to the charge and was released. But in court that day, Avilez told the Chief Magistrate that he was badly beaten—not for attempting to steal, but while […]
The biggest single issue on the political front in this week following the 2015 general election is the leadership vacuum in the Opposition People’s United Party. The day after a devastating loss, P.U.P. Leader Francis Fonseca announced that he would be stepping down. That’s thrown the gates wide open, and prior to today, unofficial reports […]
Hyde says that successive failures have shown that it is time to stop paying lip service to change, and to make something happen. He wants to be an agent of that critical change. Cordel Hyde, P.U.P. Area Representative, Lake Independence “Really the party needs to renew itself. The party has failed over the last […]
Current Deputy Leader Julius Espat has also found himself thrown into the mix for leader. Today he didn’t go so far as to confirm that he will submit his name for leadership. But he’s certainly not saying that he won’t. Julius Espat, Deputy Leader, P.U.P. “I’m interested in unity in the P.U.P. I am […]
Espat agrees with Cordel Hyde that the Party needs to go back to its roots and shake things up, since the package currently being served isn’t getting the job done. Julius Espat, Deputy Leader, P.U.P. “I don’t think we are explaining our story as best as we could. We have to learn to fight […]
One name thrown into the leadership race is Caribbean Shores Area Representative Kareem Musa. He’s relatively new, with only one very significant, but recent victory under his belt. Like Espat, Musa isn’t saying that he will, just yet. But he isn’t saying that he won’t. Kareem Musa, P.U.P. Area Representative, Caribbean Shores “The only […]
The 2015/2016 sugar crop is slated to start in the next fourteen days, but the news tonight is that while sugar prices on the world markets are good, prices in the European Union where Belize sells its sugar are not at its optimum. In fact, they have fallen considerably which means that locally, cane farmers […]
Those interviews with P.U.P. representatives were done at Independence Hall, where the P.U.P. held its National Executive meeting following a luncheon with leader Francis Fonseca. Chairman Henry Charles Usher told the media that there was no post-mortem because the Party is focused ahead. Three items were on today’s agenda, starting with a message from outgoing […]
The recent appointment of attorney Francine Burns as a senator for the United Democratic Party was welcomed news on Monday, as it was generally accepted that the Barrow administration was attempting to put women in top positions. The young lawyer, however, is under fire tonight, following the widespread distribution of an image on social media […]
The online photo has been traced to the nbzlive blog and according to Reynolds; the unwanted attention arising from such indecent exposure is the very reason why women have traditionally chosen to stay away from politics. The issue is one that was recently discussed during a series of workshops organized by WINBelize. Isani Cayetano […]
News Five has been able to confirm that Chair of the K.H.M.H. Board of Governors, Chandra Nisbet-Cansino, was approached on Monday and asked to resign. Nisbet-Cansino has been Chair for the past three years, and sources close to her tell us that just this June she had signed a contract for an additional three years. […]
The first sitting the Cabinet took place today in Belmopan; there are twelve full ministers and seven ministers of state who sat around the table. We do not have any confirmation on what was discussed at this morning’s session, but we can say that government has announced that the first ceremonial sittings of the House […]
Who will be the new leader of the People’s United Party? That’s the million dollar question left hanging in the wake of the 2015 general election and the announcement of leader Francis Fonseca’s stepping down. Unofficially, we are told that there are four players in the arena – former P.U.P. leader John Briceño, current Deputy […]
A police officer attached to the San Ignacio formation has been arraigned on a single charge of harm after repeatedly striking an individual in custody at the station with a baton. Gustavo Williams had been brought in and detained inside a holding cell following a report of a domestic issue. Whilst in confinement, the young […]
The fight against corruption is an issue that has on the agenda of the former Vision Inspired by the People, which has now become the Belize Progressive Party. The B.P.P. is today demanding that the government sign on to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. The convention was created back on December ninth, 2003 and […]
