One of the questions posed to the Prime Minister is what happens now to the lands that scammer Andris Pukke and his associates had secured for this real estate scam. According to the Prime Minister, the lands are owned by Sanctuary Belize and not Atlantic International Bank Limited. Prime Minister Dean Barrow “Those lands […]
The United States Embassy in Belize today issued a one-page press release relating to the Sanctuary Belize real estate fraud. It addresses the long list of serious allegations filed by the Federal Trade Commission in a U.S. bankruptcy court in Florida. The U.S. Embassy does not confirm or reject the allegations, but takes the position […]
The Social Security Board has proposed to lend the Medical Council of Belize six hundred thousand dollars for the construction of a multi-purpose auditorium. The loan facility, according to the Public Notice of Investment, will be at a rate of interest of seven percent per annum for eleven years, inclusive of a one year grace […]
Over the years, we have reported on a number of stories about land issues. Often times, there are more than one persons claiming ownership of a piece of land and tonight that’s exactly what is happening with a one-acre lot in Sandhill Village. A woman claims a parcel of land has been in her family […]
Employees generally spend long hours at work, which means that the work environment should be healthy and stress free to their state of mind. According to studies, one in every five employees experiences mental health issues. Today, one organization came forward to do something positive toward this critical issue. News Five’s Hipolito Novelo reports. […]
Earlier today, a number of police officers attached to Eastern Division and a civilian from Belmopan were honoured for their bravery and for a job well done in the apprehension of suspects in armed robberies in separate incidents in Belize City and Belmopan. Those include Thursday night’s armed robbery of Cooking Masters in which six […]
The Police Department is also looking for a few good men and women to join its ranks; one hundred and ninety to be exact. ComPol Chester Williams says that the recruitment drive this year is overwhelming, but the goal is to get the successful applicants into training by mid-August. Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police […]
His name is Andris Pukke and he is the felon who orchestrated the Sanctuary Bay real estate scam which has Prime Minister Dean Barrow, ministers and other high ranking officials in a most embarrassing situation. According to the Federal Trade Commission, Pukke is a convicted felon who also used the aliases Marc Romeo and Andy […]
In the document filed by the F.T.C., the Prime Minister’s law firm and his partner, Rodwell Williams, are named. Aside from suggesting that the Prime Minister owns a piece of land in Sanctuary Bay, which Barrow has flatly denied, the document speaks to two lots owned by Williams. It also highlighted that Barrow and Williams […]
Present at Wednesday’s press conference was Joy Grant, the Governor of the Central Bank of Belize and Grant was there to answer to a very specific allegation. The F.T.C. alleged that the Central Bank knew about the fraud and did nothing. It says that in 2016, the then Central Bank Governor Glen Ysaguirre wrote to […]
Prime Minister Dean Barrow, having learned that the F.T.C. filed such damning documents against him and his government, summoned the Chargé d’ Affaires, Keith Gilges, to make sure his complaint against the F.T.C. reaches the U.S. State Department. While the PM has taken on many challenges, big or small, on Wednesday, Barrow told the media […]
After negotiations, A.I.B.L. and the F.T.C. were able to come to an agreement which resulted in the F.T.C. filing an application to stay proceedings against the bank. An appointed liquidator, Julian Murillo, was at the headtable of the press conference along with the PM. He told the media that subsequent to the commencement of the […]
Two inmates were beaming with pride as they stood among a group of graduates on Sunday in Belmopan. The two successfully completed a programme with Kaina Online High School. Five other inmates also hope to graduate some day from the programme. The accomplishment is a turning point in their lives, showing that despite struggles behind […]
A one-day business plan development workshop was held today at the BTEC building on the ITVET Compound in Belize City. It’s sister agency, the Small Business Development Centre, which also falls under BELTRAIDE, has organized a series of workshops to assist entrepreneurs as well as persons with great ideas, who need of technical support for […]
With a huge scandal starring him in the face, Prime Minister Dean Barrow today called an urgent press conference in which he responded to the claims and allegations made in a U.S. court document against him, his fellow U.D.P. parliamentarians and the Central Bank of Belize. The allegations are related to the Sanctuary Belize scam, […]
PM Barrow also responded to a statement in the claim which says that “There are other important connections between the Belizean government and S.B.E.” In the claim, allegations are also made against Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber and U.D.P. Minister Manuel Heredia Junior and Erwin Contreras. It says that Faber and Heredia reportedly communicated with […]
One of the most serious allegations made against the Barrow administration is that there was knowledge of the scam prior to the F.T.C.’s actions to halt it. According to the F.T.C., the Central Bank of Belize knew about the fraud, but did nothing. It says that in 2016, Glen Ysaguirre, the then Governor of the […]
The Central Bank of Belize is said to have been aware of the scam, but failed to act properly in the Sanctuary Belize scam. The Bank today issued a statement categorically rejecting the allegations and reaffirming its commitment to safeguard the health of the financial system and protect the pegged foreign exchange rate. It states […]
U.D.P. Senator Aldo Salazar is also named in the claim. It says that Salazar, who represented A.I.B.L., allegedly “facilitated the fraud by helping the developer wrongfully seize Sanctuary Belize lots from American victims.” The claim says that Senator Salazar accompanied A.I.B.L. C.E.O. Pelayo and bank manager, Charles Ellis, to Pukke’s California telemarketing headquarters. The documents […]
And the visibly upset Prime Minister told the media that after learning and reviewing the claim, he urgently got in contact with the U.S. Chargé d’ Affaires to make an official complaint to the U.S. statement. Prime Minister Dean Barrow “I sent first for the chargé to complain formally to him and via him […]
Before the Prime Minister’s press conference today, the F.T.C. filed an application in the U.S. District Court of Maryland for a stay of the proceedings it commenced against A.I.B.L. This, according to the Prime Minister, forms part of an agreement discussed in June. Prime Minister Dean Barrow “It wasn’t put in writing. We got back […]
Prime Minister Barrow, during his press conference this afternoon, also touched briefly on Telemedia’s G.S.T. issue. Aside from reiterating the position taken by Financial Secretary Joseph Waight that the company owes nothing to the General Sales Tax Department, the PM also confirmed that an audit is presently underway to determine whether there is legal responsibility […]
At a press conference held by the People’s United Party last Wednesday, Area Representative Kareem Musa attested to the existence of a letter in which the chairman of B.T.L.’s Board of Directors is purportedly requesting a tax waiver from the Financial Secretary. According to Musa, who is the Opposition’s Shadow Minister for Communications and Public […]
Back to the big story involving Sanctuary Bay, when the dust finally settles on the A.I.B.L./Sanctuary Bay fiasco, will Prime Minister Barrow set his sights on the Federal Trade Commission for dragging his name and reputation through the mud with false information? According to the PM, he will not be going after the F.T.C. and […]
Notwithstanding the Central Bank’s role as the country’s financial regulator, questions are being asked about its apparent lack of oversight in respect of the Sanctuary Bay real estate scam. When asked about the matter, Governor Joy Grant reiterated that the transaction involved Americans solely and that A.I.B.L. was not necessarily out of line in the […]
