Earlier in the month, Prime Minister Dean Barrow announced a settlement between the Federal Trade Commission and Atlantic International Bank Limited, describing it as a ‘win for Belize’. The settlement comes after Atlantic International was named in a claim in the US and formed part of the FTC’s investigation in what is described as the […]
Lead scammer Andris Pukke along with several associates, promised clients a lush piece of land equipped with world class amenities on a fourteen thousand-acre property in southern Belize. It’s a scam that played out over the course of several years and according to Prime Minister Dean Barrow, the Central Bank received no evidence of the […]
Back in April, the Government was unsuccessful in trying to persuade the Court of Appeal to hear an application in an expedited manner. This was in the relation to the April third injunction which was granted by Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin against holding the I.C.J. referendum on April tenth. The Court of Appeal ruled that […]
We also asked the Attorney General about the continued policing profiling. Police officers continue to stop and search persons, especially young black males, record their personal information and snap pictures of them. It is a practice that has been highly criticized because not only is picture-taking beyond the remit of Section Nineteen of the Police […]
Last week we reported that the U.S. Department of State upgraded Belize in its Trafficking in Persons Report. According to the report, Belize has shown significant progress in victim services and strengthening of its anti-trafficking police unit. While Belize does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking in persons, the report […]
The U.S. has announced that a number of immigration raids will be conducted. The deportations, while delayed, are intended to remove recently arrived families who are in the United States illegally. It has been reported that there are some two thousand families facing deportation orders in ten cities. On Wednesday, we asked Thomas Lersten about […]
Forty-one-year-old Marcia Talbert, an employee of Cerberus Security, a subsidiary of Bowen and Bowen Limited, lost her life on the morning of June sixteenth when a gunman snuck onto the compound at Crystal Bottling Company and opened fire. Also injured during the shooting incident was Mansa Baptist, a colleague of hers who was shot in […]
On Thursday, we told you about new security measures, including surveillance cameras, as well as the hiring of special constables to be implemented in San Pedro. Those new plans were outlined by Commissioner of Police Chester Williams at a public meeting held on the island on Wednesday night. These new preventative measures are being introduced […]
The lifeless body of fifty-eight-year-old Phillip Crabtree, a British national, was retrieved from the sea in Placencia this morning. Sometime around six o’clock, police were called to an area in the village where they observed the motionless body of the retiree floating in the water nearby. Upon retrieving Crabtree’s remains, the officers noticed a cut […]
Early this morning, the police officers were on the streets of the City, but it was not for the usual crime fighting. It was to encourage residents to maintain or adopt a healthy lifestyle by staying fit. That activity was followed by other fun sporting events at Yabra Green. On Saturday a march will culminate […]
It was a formal occasion in Belmopan this morning. Outstanding police officers in the department were honoured for service and for excelling in recent exams. Sergeant Leroy Hernandez has been in the line of duty for nineteen years, he also placed at the top of the recent police promotional exams. Today, he was gleaming with […]
A group of nationals coming from diverse cultures and countries have made Belize their home and country. They are the third group this year to pledge allegiance as citizens of Belize after going through a vetting process. The oath was administered by officials of the Nationality and Passport Department in Belmopan. Going forward, they are […]
A resident of Maskall Village in the Belize District is the latest winners of fifteen thousand dollars courtesy of Scratch and Win. Mister Martinez, as he referred to himself to protect his identity and winnings, purchased four tickets on Monday night, he won only two dollars through the bonus. That ticket was then redeemed for […]
We take a break from crime and go to Belmopan where the Senate today dealt with an amendment to the Tax Laws which was passed and place criminal liability against anyone in the chain of management in any company not paying taxes. In the debate, senators urged the tightening up of collection across the board […]
The Upper House met this morning in the Capital. A bill which seeks to merge the Income Tax and General Sales Tax departments into the Belize Tax Service Department was debated this morning by senators. The merger of these departments is expected to not only facilitate the official and effective administration and collection of domestic […]
Through the successful passage of this bill, the Belize Tax Service Department is also expected to provide for tax procedures and civil and criminal penalties for persons found to be violating tax laws. Social partner senators, while encouraging the amalgamation, pointed out the need for authorities to crack down on persons who evade taxes across […]
Responding to the concerns raised by the senators were U.D.P. Senators Michael Peyrefitte and Stephen Duncan. Peyrefitte and Duncan asserted that in order for businesses to avoid penalties, businesses need to be tax compliant. Stephen Duncan, U.D.P. Senator “As you read the legislation you get the sense that the onus is being shifted from […]
Two new senators were sworn in today. It was Darrell Bradley’s first day as President of the Senate. He was appointed to the post after Lee Mark Chang stepped aside to pursue a career in politics. While attorney Michel Chebat has on several occasions temporarily stepped in for the P.U.P.’s lead Senator Eamon Courtenay, today, […]
It has been taking place since 1993 and has become one of the leading culinary competitions in the Caribbean region. In the past two consecutive years, Belize has been fielding a team to compete in the highly anticipated Taste of the Caribbean. The best of the best in culinary skills and mixology in the region […]
This week, a series of activities are taking place to highlight the work of the police department. One of the initiatives that builds relations with the public is community policing; it gets residents to work with the police. News Five’s Duane Moody was at a fair where the many functions of the department were on […]
Police Week began on Sunday with a church service at the Divine Mercy Church in Belize City. There were several other activities organized across the country, but later this week, there will be an award ceremony, and a parade by the officers, among other things. Woman Corporal of Police and Public Relations Officer for the […]
Retired police officer Marie Henry was among the first women to join the Belize Police Force back in the early sixties. Today, her outstanding career as a woman in law enforcement is enshrined in a namesake daycare center that was inaugurated at the Raccoon Street Police Headquarters. The opening ceremony coincides with the celebration of […]
In our past coverage of the L.G.B.T.I. event at the U.S. Embassy, you may have seen the symbolic raising of the rainbow flag; but that didn’t happen this year. Visiting Deputy Director of Central American Affairs, Thomas Lersten, delivered the remarks at today’s event in the absence of Charge d’ Affaires Keith Gilges. Lersten said […]
The first phase of village council elections was held on Sunday. A total of thirty-five villages in Corozal, Belize, Cayo, Stann Creek and Toledo participated in the first round. The People’s United Party won one hundred and twenty-three seats, while the ruling United Democratic Party won seventy-three seats. Forty-nine seats were garnered by independent candidates. […]
On Friday, the House of Representatives read through the Tax Administration and Procedure Bill 2019 which essentially sees a merger of the Income Tax and General Sales Tax departments. The purpose is to facilitate the official and effective administration and collection of domestic taxes. While the opposition supported the move, concerns were raised in respect […]
