For the past week the rumor mill has been buzzing busily and viciously after word that Director of Immigration Ruth Meighan was being removed from her post. Meighan gained recognition for her tenure at the Elections and Boundaries Office and, previous to that, she worked with the Transport Department. Perhaps because while she was Immigration […]
In December 2012, Minister Hulse did something which had never been done by his predecessors. For the first time, Guatemalans will not take part in swearing in ceremonies for new citizens to Belize. Today, Minister Hulse told News Five that he was not satisfied with the process through which Guatemalans renounced their citizenship and alliance […]
Minister of State Mark King was charged for Threatening Words, Disorderly Conduct and Aggravated Assault in the Corozal courtroom of Magistrate Clive Lino for an incident that occurred after his friend, identified as Diego Witz Junior was ejected from Princess Casino at the Corozal Free Zone. There is cell phone footage showing King and his […]
Minister of State Mark King this morning finally had his day in court. Cabinet, on Tuesday, issued a release stating that Corozal Police would charge King for Threatening Words and Disorderly Conduct for his involvement in a brawl in front of the Princess Casino. But on Wednesday, Police issued a release stating that King had […]
A public awareness campaign was recently launched for the October referendum in which Belizeans will vote on whether Guatemala’s claim to Belize will be decided by the International Court of Justice. But today, Belize is sending a formal note of protest to the Guatemalan government for including Belize in its official map. A diplomatic spat […]
Late this evening, News Five spoke to the C.E.O. of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Alexis Rosado. Rosado said that he was aware of the incident at the OAS headquarters in Washington D.C. He told News Five via phone that he fully supported the protest lodged by Ambassador Nestor Mendez. Jose Sanchez “Despite the […]
The Belize District Branch of the Belize National Teachers Union expected six hundred of its members to show up at the first consultation with its leaders for the presentation of a government proposal for salary increments for the years 2014 to 2017. The maximum salary adjustment in any of the three years would not exceed […]
The Ministry of Forestry has been clamping on the illegal but lucrative harvesting and exportation of rosewood. But despite a moratorium in place since last year, the illegal activities have continued at a brisk pace and containers of the precious wood have been seized in the south, at the western border and adjacent to the […]
As for the rosewood at the western border and the two containers stored and confiscated at Belize Engineering Limited adjacent to the customs compound in Belize City, the Chief Forestry officer says the D.P.P. is looking into the matter. Wilbur Sabido, Chief Forest Officer “The other situation is the one that is more known […]
Minister of State Mark King is officially on three months suspension without pay after a brawl which occurred at the Princess Casino in the Corozal Free Zone early Tuesday morning. King has been charged by the police with the serious criminal offense of Aggravated Assault of uniformed police officer, Nelson Ramos, as well as Using […]
After meeting with Prime Minister Dean Barrow last Friday, leaders of the Public Service Union, Belize National Teachers Union and the Association of Public Service Senior Managers agreed on a proposal set forward by government to resolve the salary adjustment dispute. On Saturday, those leaders took that proposal to their wider executive bodies and again, […]
As we said, Prime Minister and union leaders emerged from a meeting last Friday with a tentative deal for salary increments that relies on a surplus in the government revenues. The deal will now be decided by the respective unions and the first joint meeting is underway. News Five spoke earlier today with Kathleen […]
On February first, union leaders met with Prime Minister Dean Barrow, but they did so without an integral part of the team. Just one day before the meeting, president of the A.P.S.S.M., Jose Castellanos—the man considered the numbers guru and firebrand of the team—withdrew. There have been reports that his sudden departure from the scene […]
Prime Minister Dean Barrow has been juggling enough balls on a number of national issues. Most recently, the dilemma has been keeping the unions at bay while trying to re-structure the five hundred and forty-four million U.S. dollar superbond. Going into the meeting with union leaders last Friday, all eyes were on the leader of […]
Self-named Minister of Gangs Mark King is in the political and public seat of shame today after he was allegedly involved in a drunken brawl with Corozal Police. The incident occurred in the early hours of this morning as Minister King and friends partied at the Princess Casino located just outside the Corozal Commercial Free […]
While there was no sign of Minister Mark King near the Corozal Police Station or at the Corozal Magistrate’s Court today, the man he was with when he was escorted to the Police Station very early this morning, was arraigned in Court today. At a little before three this afternoon, twenty-two year old Diego […]
By midday, the Minister of State with Responsibility for Gangs had been suspended from Cabinet for three months, without pay, for his involvement in the brawl with casino security and Corozal police. A cabinet release states that King was involved in behavior not consistent with his obligations as a Minister of State, and goes further […]
Two persons were murdered in a span of less than twelve hours on Monday. Around eight in the morning, Garry Bowen was killed on Partridge Street and just after seven p.m., Edinilson Soriano was shot and killed in close proximity on Banak Street. The gunman blasted Soriano on the upper part of his body at […]
The hot button issue last week was about salary adjustments for teachers and other public officers. We asked if our viewers thought that government could find the money to provide the adjustments. An overwhelming seventy-four percent voted yes, while twenty-six percent said no. Turning to tonight’s question: Instead of a three month suspension, should Mark […]
The attorney for Oceana Belize, Citizens Organized for Liberty through Action (COLA) and the Coalition to Save Our Natural Heritage concluded oral arguments challenging the validity of six offshore Production Sharing Agreements in the courtroom of Supreme Court Justice Oswell Legall. If the environmentalists have their way, they would have the court quash oil concession […]
Senior Counsel Godfrey Smith represented the environmental groups. And Smith argued that the P.S.A.’s breached the Petroleum Act and also contravened the Environmental Protection Act, the Fisheries Act and the National Parks Act. According to Audrey Matura Shepherd, Oceana’s Vice President in Belize, they believe that the renewal of concessions also broke some regulations. […]
Breaking News: A few minutes ago, gun shots were fired on Banak Street. One person was shot and injured. Our news team has headed to the area and we will have a full report as soon as possible.
The first murder for the month of February took place this morning in the height of the rush hour. Hundreds of school children were heading to school around eight o’clock; others were going to work, when shots rang out on Partridge Street leaving residents traumatized. A Mahogany Street resident, Gary Bowen who turned thirty-three just […]
There are limited details at this time and the Police are not saying much, but News Five has confirmed that there was a home invasion over the weekend in the village of Boston on the old Northern Highway. In the incident, two female foreigners were sexually abused. When our news team visited the site this […]
At a meeting that lasted for at least five hours on Saturday, the joint councils of the unions discussed in detail a package from the government in respect of salary adjustments. The eight point proposal applies to teachers, public officers and pensioners and is to take effect next year and early indications are that temperatures […]
