As we’ve told you, the tragedy of Raylene’s cruel death has been compounded by another travesty – the matter never even reached full trial, and the three men walked. On Tuesday state-appointed attorneys for the three accused informed Justice Hanomansingh that the confessions to the crime were not obtained in accordance with the law, and […]
As we said, hundreds are preparing now to start a march from memorial park to downtown Belize City in what is known as the “Light the Night…for the kids” of the Inspiration Centre. The event is a fundraiser for the center that is near completion. The participants will take a two mile walk through the […]
A private aircraft with U.S. registration crash landed this afternoon at the Punta Gorda airstrip. The pilot was fifty-two year old Michael Bogacz and his partner, Jennifer Sobre…both American nationals. Sobre was injured to the head and transported to the Punta Gorda Hospital in a critical, but stable condition, but fortunately for Bogacz, he was […]
Tonight there is very little new information on the criminal investigation into the Won Hong Kim/Elvin Penner passport scandal. Penner, the former Minister of State with responsibility for immigration, has been fingered by nationality officers who say he pushed Kim’s nationality certificate through without supporting documentation. Penner also signed Kim’s nationality certificate and signed as […]
Three men – Roaring Creek construction workers twenty-one year old Darren Banner, twenty year old Jason Anderson and twenty-four year old UB student Brandon Budna are free after being incarcerated since October 2010. On Wednesday, all three men were acquitted of the murder of Raylene Dyer. The tragic murder of eighteen year old Dyer shocked […]
Since its groundbreaking in August 2009, the Marion Jones Sporting Complex has been slow to become a reality. In fact, construction began on enclosing the perimeter before work could commence on the building of bleachers and other features of the multimillion dollar facility. It’s been over four and a half years and the stadium is […]
City councilor Phillip Willoughby has tossed his Superman hat into the political ring, where he will be challenging area representative Herman Longsworth in the Albert Division. While Willoughby’s announcement came as somewhat of a surprise, he was initially met with opposition by Longsworth, particularly when he ventured into Conch Shell Bay last Wednesday with Belize […]
Debate of the proposed budget for the new financial year begins next week; both sides of the aisle in the House of Representatives are going through the budget with a fine tooth comb. The theme for the 2014-2015 Budget is Bettering People, Building Belize – A Budget for all. Tonight, Isani Cayetano has an overall […]
Last week, the Court of Appeal overturned a conviction on money laundering charges for the Coye family. Melonie Coye, on bail pending the appeal hearing, has been acquitted, but the victory is tragically bittersweet. On November fifth, just five days after he received bail, Melonie’s father Michael Coye died of a massive heart attack. And […]
Early this morning, Police reported the tragic drowning of Pueblo Viejo ferryman fifty-one year old Artemio Vivas. Vivas’ body was retrieved from the river at around seven twenty-five am. Preliminary investigations reveal that Vivas, a resident of Corozal Town, was working on the ferry with his assistant, Rolando Alcoser. At about two a.m., a BEL […]
Interdicted police officer, Police Constable Ronald Sutherland who was charged in October 2013 with three criminal offenses including aggravated assault with a machete, wounding and threatening words upon his ex-common-law wife, Tanisha Ortiz, found himself today on remand at the Belize Central Prison. That’s because Sutherland failed to report to the Queen Street Police Station […]
Director of Tourism Laura Esquivel-Frampton has officially demitted office, following a two-year stint as head of the Belize Tourism Board. Her resignation from the post was formally confirmed via press release earlier today because on Wednesday night, we told you that she was on her way out from the lucrative job. Esquivel-Frampton’s tenure has been […]
Since being appointed the portfolio of Minister of Tourism in 2008, the posts of Chief Executive Officer and Director of Tourism have been revolving doors in Heredia’s ministry. Current C.E.O. Tracy Panton is also former Director of Tourism. During her term in office, Mike Singh was C.E.O. in the ministry. Panton served in that capacity […]
Political connections and lucrative appointments – that’s always been commonplace in Belize, almost as traditional as rice and beans. But that doesn’t make the pill any easier to swallow. Today, the Ministry of Health is in hot water after the announcement of a new Director of Drug Inspectorate, who just happens to be the daughter […]
The association has pulled no punches with the issue of its release, stating that the appointment is based on a preferential political agenda and asking that the situation with the new director be immediately rectified. This isn’t the first time that the association has been at odds with the Ministry of Health, and politics was […]
Accused murderer Bert Vasquez has been committed to stand trial in the Supreme Court for the murder of Jasmine Lowe. The decision was handed down at the preliminary inquiry today after submissions by Vasquez’s attorney Simeon Sampson and Director of Public Prosecutions Cheryl-Lynn Vidal. Sampson first made a submission of no case to answer, stating […]
As we’ve told you, the three passport officers whose names were dragged through the mud of public scrutiny in the immigration scandal have been exonerated by the Services Commission. Despite a recommendation for termination by Director of Immigration Maria Marin, Sharon Neal, Omar Phillips and Erwin Robinson received only reprimands for what was referred to […]
There are three more deaths to add to the growing list of traffic fatalities; so far, there have been at least fifteen accidents since the beginning of the year in which eleven persons lost their lives. Over the weekend, a three year old girl was killed when an incoming vehicle, a Honda CRV, collided into […]
Traffic accidents are among the leading causes of death, and unfortunately an Ontario family is grieving the loss of a loved one. A third fatality occurred on Sunday, involving a collision between an SUV and a motorcycle in Camalote Village. At around five o’clock that morning twenty-two year old Jose Martinez, a resident of Ontario […]
Just a few moments prior to the deadly traffic accident which claimed the lives of three year old Ashley Silva and twenty year old Linbert Tucker, there was a four car pileup along the Boom Road. Though not fatal, the responding officers, already stretched thin having to work the La Ruta Maya event, were forced […]
There is a breaking story in the B.T.B. and that is Laura Esquivel-Frampton, the high profile daughter of former Prime Minister, Manuel Esquivel is resigning from the post of Director of Tourism. Esquivel-Frampton assumed the post in May 2012, and soon ran into trouble with the B.T.B. management and board. Last Wednesday, a group of […]
Speculation about the pending arrest of former Minister of State with responsibility for Immigration Elvin Penner ran wild and free over the long weekend. On Friday, News Five was informed that a warrant had been issued for the politician turned pariah, but he had left the country. Today those reports intensified, with multiple sources claiming […]
The long weekend was filled with tragedy but no murders. Unfortunately, the inadvertent moratorium on murders did not last, and just after eight this morning Police Detectives from Precinct Two were opening a case file on a body found off the Western Highway in the foam factory compound. While the investigation is in its early […]
San Ignacio Police remain on the lookout for Gabino Garnett Jr., the man they believe is responsible for the fatal stabbing of twenty-year-old Earl Baizar on Friday morning. The Dangriga resident, who frequented the municipality, was injured multiple times after being accosted outside of Blue Angels Nightclub where the two were reportedly engaged in an […]
There is much to report in the news from inside and outside the national assembly, but first we turn tonight to former Minister of State Elvin Penner. News Five has confirmed that the Police Department has conducted a criminal investigation, following instruction by the Supreme Court. We have been unable to get any information on […]
