Belize’s armed forces have been the recipients of very significant Christmas treats recently, courtesy of the US and Canadian governments. Coming on the heels of approximately five million dollars in military equipment, vessels and specialized gear donated in the past month, today the BDF and Coast Guard unwrapped a gift that will keep on giving […]
On November twenty-second, Tyson Rodriguez died while in Police custody. Since then a Sergeant of Police, second in command of the Placencia Police formation Julio Shal, has been charged with murder. Shal and two other officers alleged that Rodriguez escaped from the back of the Police vehicle and they found him dead shortly after. That […]
There were two shooting incidents over the weekend in the City. In the first at the start of the weekend, a heated argument between two young men on Friday morning resulted in damage to the property of a Police Street resident. According to Beverly Smith, she was inside her living room when shortly before seven […]
Another shooting incident in Belize City later that night landed a pair of youths inside the KHMH, both suffering from varying degrees of injuries. Shortly before nine o’clock, twenty-year-old Rakeem Vernon and twenty-year-old Eric Wills were socializing in the backyard of a residence near the corner of North Creek and Central American Boulevard when someone […]
The intensive and wide-ranging multiple investigations into corruption at the Immigration Department have allegedly been ongoing for at least two months now. We say allegedly because there is no real evidence of any investigation into corruption. At this point we can’t even say that a so-called Financial Intelligence Unit investigation even exists, because head of […]
Former Deputy Mayor Eric Chang was thrown into the mix of the immigration scandal involving the illegal sale of a Belizean passport to imprisoned South Korean businessman Won Hong Kim. Chang was in Taiwan on an official visit when the scandal broke in September and after his name was called, he remained in Taiwan for […]
A woman police officer is in critical condition tonight at the Northern Regional Hosptial. WPC Marilyn Pate accompanied personnel of the Human Development Department to the house of Oscar Perez in Trial Farm, Orange Walk on Thursday. The department was investigating Perez for allegations of sexual abuse of minors. His reaction was swift and deadly […]
Around the world, there has been an outpouring of emotions following the death of Nelson Mandela. Leaders all over have been paying tribute to the larger-than-life icon whose struggle against injustices and to end racial oppression inspired the world. The office of the prime minister announced today that it is sending an official note of […]
Almost three months ago, news surfaced that UDP Minister of State Elvin Penner had facilitated nationality status and a Belizean passport for Wonhong Kim. Kim had never set foot in Belize, and was actually incarcerated in Taiwan when his nationality and passport were issued. Although the documents proved beyond any reasonable doubt that Penner was […]
Garbage woes…Around the city, garbage is piling up as city hall and Belize Waste Control remain at odds. BWC cut down on garbage collections this week when City Hall again could not meet its payment. City was four months behind in payments; that is until today when they made a hundred thousand dollars deposit toward […]
While garbage woes continue to clutter City Hall and sanitation workers contemplate a very dismal Christmas, as we told you City Hall has made a payment of one hundred thousand dollars – which brings arrears down to around six hundred and seventy six thousand, or three and a half months. Now that’s a hefty debt […]
There is public outrage at the unnecessary death of an innocent three year old preschooler that happened on Wednesday afternoon. Even more so because the driver of a white van that hit him is believed to have been under the influence of alcohol. Two siblings were victims of the horrific accident; one died instantly and […]
Approximately two hours later, there was another fatal traffic accident this time on the Philip Goldson Highway; it claimed the life of a seventy-five year old man. Around six p.m., Gregory Lopez was riding his beach cruiser bicycle towards Belize City when a white Dodge RAM truck knocked him down near mile six on the […]
Twenty-nine year old Zoila Elizabeth Garcia was brutally slain a block away from her home on Orquidea Street in Las Flores on Tuesday night. She was shot once to the back of the head by an unknown assailant. The businesswoman had reportedly set out on foot to meet someone near the football field when she […]
On Wednesday night, the People’s United Party held its constituency convention for the Fort George Division. Former Prime Minister and seven time winner in that area, Said Musa, was endorsed to contest general elections whenever they are called. Normally, News Five wouldn’t cover political conventions, especially an endorsement convention without any controversy or news value, […]
News Five has been able to confirm that in the past week a number of Indian nationals entered the country through the Phillip Goldson International Airport. Against the backdrop of the ongoing Immigration scandal involving former Minister of State Elvin Penner and other highly placed government officials, the arrival raised eyebrows and speculation. But tonight […]
Belize maintains one of the most highly regarded vaccination programs in the entire region, providing thirty-thousand immunizations yearly. The Ministry of Health vaccinates against ten general diseases, including polio, mumps, measles, whooping cough, tuberculosis, hepatitis, tetanus and diphtheria. The program has won awards and recognition in the Caribbean and the work is critically important. And […]
The impact of climate change on the tourism industry was addressed head-on this morning at the annual general meeting of the Belize Tourism Industry Association. The economies of Belize and the rest of the Caribbean are dependent on the tourism dollar so that the effects of climate change can potentially place the Caribbean region at […]
There was a terrible traffic accident this afternoon immediately in front of the Belizean Chinese Fast Food restaurant on Cemetery Road. A white van hit two school children, one died on the spot when his head was crushed by the vehicle. His sibling was injured and has been hospitalized at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. […]
There has been a reduction in the murder statistics in the City, but the count notched up today by one in the Capital. On Tuesday night, a businesswoman from the Las Flores area of Belmopan was murdered; execution style. It is believed that Zoila Elizabeth Garcia was lured to a football field located in an […]
Twelve year old Sabrina Almendarez will be laid to rest on Thursday in Independence. The young athlete and star pitcher was pronounced dead early Friday morning at the Southern Regional Hospital, an hour after she was found in her room motionless, foaming from the mouth. The story is tragic and the family is grieving, searching […]
What the family has been given at this point is just a preliminary report of the autopsy. Samples have been taken of different organs for further analysis. It is hoped that when that full analysis is complete, it will shed some light on a possible connection between the tetanus shot and Sabrina’s death just a […]
The Belize Police Department has issued a wanted poster for twenty-six year old Justin West, a resident of Lord’s Bank who is believed to have fled to the United States. West is believed to have been the mastermind in a long-term financial scam which netted one hundred and eighty-six thousand dollars from the Radisson Fort […]
Two weeks ago the U.S. Government gifted the B.D.F. and Coast Guard with over one million dollars in specialized equipment, to be used primarily for capacity enhancement. That early Thanksgiving treat has now been joined by an early Christmas gift to the B.D.F. from the Canadian government. It’s a significant donation of boats and equipment […]
The equipment and gear will all be used specifically by the Belize Special Assignment Group in their operations in the country. BSAG is an elite unit of the B.D.F., tasked with undertaking high-risk operations which require specialized military skills and capabilities. Not much is known about the group, which is probably intentional, since it is […]
