In June, two bills were presented to the House for a first reading – an amended PACT Bill and a brand new National Protected Areas System Bill. But while the N.G.O. community has been calling for these bits of legislation for years, what was introduced a couple weeks ago is not necessarily what they wanted. […]
This morning, the N.G.O. stakeholders asked the House sub-committee for more time, and they were granted that time, which means that there is room for much more consultation and input. That approval will likely not sit well with Minister Lisel Alamilla, who has been very aggressive and even contentious in pushing the bills. In fact, […]
There was a deadly stabbing incident earlier in the west, where a woman was impaled inside her home, allegedly by an enraged spouse. Police have already detained the suspected murderer in a vicious killing in Benque Viejo today. Just before three this afternoon, neighbours on George Price Street heard the frantic screams of twenty-five-year-old Customs […]
Newly-elected Dangriga Area Representative Frank ‘Papa’ Mena was sworn in as Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security this morning in Belmopan. The installation took place before Governor General Sir Colville Young at the Belize House where a small gathering of family and friends was on hand to witness the formalities. Mena’s official […]
Is there an inextricable link between the new pecking order of the People’s United Party and that of the previous regime led by Said Musa? Well, that’s an assertion put to Francis Fonseca during Thursday’s post bye-election media brief. The bold suggestion that the P.U.P.’s inner circle remains relatively unchanged since 2008 got the party […]
Despite losing almost a quarter of its constituents since the 2012 general elections, Fonseca says the party is encouraged by its accomplishment on Wednesday given the circumstances leading up to the bye-elections. Francis Fonseca, Party Leader, P.U.P. “We have a good candidate, we have to be better organized, we need even more resources and […]
On Wednesday, Frank ‘Papa” Mena was victorious by a significant margin in bye-elections held in Dangriga Town, Hope Creek and Sarawee. Even more than the numbers, the political muscle on the ground from both parties has received much scrutiny. The P.U.P., at least outside the voting area, put on a good show, but when ballots […]
Kremandala journalist Kareem Clarke was gunned down early Monday morning, as he headed home on Vernon Street. His murder has shocked and saddened his family, friends and colleagues. Today, journalists from various media houses came together in the city to brainstorm…to find some way to honour the memory of this quiet but ambitious young man […]
On Wednesday, Ambassador Alexis Rosado presented his credentials as Belize’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Costa Rica. Accepting and accrediting those credentials was Luis Guillermo Solis Rivera, Costa Rica’s president. A release from the Government Press Office says, “there are several agreements in the areas of trade and cooperation that we now […]
The results of the Dangriga bye-elections were known early on Wednesday night. In fact by seven thirty it was clear that the U.D.P.’s Frank “Papa” Mena had established a commanding lead over the P.U.P.’s Anthony Sabal. At the end of the counting of votes, the difference stood at six hundred and thirty eight votes which […]
One of the biggest stories on Election Day was the political muscle present from both parties – and indeed, it’s hard to remember the last time the P.U.P. put on any kind of impressive show. But both parties were out in numbers, and they weren’t quiet. In fact, there were a number of skirmishes reported […]
While some may quibble over and analyze the numbers to suit their own specific agendas, a win is a win, even if only by one vote so six hundred and thirty-eight is a perfectly respectable margin of victory. So respectable, in fact, that it’s earned Frank ‘Papa’ Mena a seat in Cabinet. Today, an official […]
Despite a brief and spirited campaign, the People’s United Party has suffered yet another loss at the polls. In the wake of a fourth consecutive defeat under the direction of party leader Francis Fonseca, the P.U.P. says it is conducting yet another thorough review of the electoral process. That post mortem includes the overall campaign […]
In his first crack at electoral politics, retired educator Anthony Sabal was squarely routed by his former student, Frank ‘Papa’ Mena, by a margin of fifty-nine to forty-one percent at the polls. So, what’s his future with the P.U.P.? Well, according to party leader Francis Fonseca, all efforts are being made to have Sabal remain […]
The People’s United Party, under the leadership of Francis Fonseca, is yet to win an election. Having suffered defeat in the 2012 general elections, a singular trouncing in the January fifth, Cayo North bye-election, the 2015 municipal elections and now the Dangriga bye-election, there is speculation about the leadership of the party. Back in March, […]
At around one Monday morning, young media personality Kareem Clarke, twenty-seven, was brutally gunned down as he rode home on Vernon Street. He was shot five times – twice to the head and three times to the body. The terribly violent end of this unassuming journalist from Amandala has shocked the community, and tonight Police […]
As we bring you the news tonight, Elections and Boundaries officials, escorted by Police, are transporting boxes from six polling areas to the Father Phillip Marin Parish Hall where they will be counted to determine the new area representative for the Dangriga constituency which includes Sarawee and Hope Creek. As is traditional in every single […]
The last figures for voters’ turnout in the Dangriga bye-elections were issued at five this evening, an hour before the polls closed. That figure stood at fifty-three percent and the six o’clock figure will be known later tonight. There are a total of six thousand two hundred and five voters in Dangriga, Sarawee and Hope […]
On Friday, Minister of State Edmond Castro took a devastating personal, if not political blow, when he was advised to discontinue a defamation case against visa scandal whistleblower, Alvarene Burgess, and Great Belize Productions/Channel Five. Burgess had accused Castro of taking two thousand dollars cash for the facilitation of each visa for Chinese nationals, and […]
Of course, that call by the Opposition at this point is nothing more than a rhetorical flourish. Castro’s involvement in a visa scam is a moot point because he recently blew away his opponent at convention for the Belize Rural North constituency. So while the PM has heard Fonseca’s call…he’s certainly not picking up. […]
And since the P.U.P. is on the subject of visas and a visa scam, Fonseca is also taking a hard look at the U.D.P. Dangriga candidate, Frank “Pawpa” Mena. Just like Minister of State Edmond Castro, Mena’s name is on a document which states that he personally facilitated visas for Chinese nationals. The P.U.P. leader […]
On Tuesday night, P.U.P. Leader Francis Fonseca praised Senator Father Noel Leslie and the Roman Catholic Church. Leslie and the Church have called on the government to repeal the controversial Petrocaribe Loan Motion even though last week at the Senate, he voted in favor of the amendment. Later, Leslie explained that his vote represented the […]
On Tuesday night we told you about a recording – another recording – of senior U.D.P. former Minister Melvin Hulse. In that recording Hulse claims that the U.D.P. will need to buy the Dangriga election because Frank “Pawpa” Mena will lose if they do not do so. More than that, Hulse makes very bold allegations […]
Both major political parties are in the south right now on the last sprint to Wednesday’s bye elections. News Five will have period reports all day from Dangriga as the voters go to polls to select a representative to succeed former area rep Ivan Ramos. Our coverage begins on Open Your Eyes and we’ll continue […]
Earlier today, the People’s United Party issued a statement on the withdrawal of a lawsuit in the Supreme Court by Minister of State, Edmond Castro against Alverine Burgess and Great Belize Productions. The surprise move by Castro came on Friday when oral closing arguments were to be heard before the presiding judge, Courtney Abel. Throughout […]
