No less than nine members of the Government, the United Democratic Party, have indicated that if and when the Appropriation Bill makes it to the House of Representatives they would vote no. Prime Minister Dean Barrow indicated on Wednesday that this would be up to their ‘conscience.’ But Senior Counsel Magali Marin-Young is of the […]
The Prime Minister seemed to argue on Wednesday that a vote in parliament, either way, would be the end of the matter. But Senior Counsel Magali Marin-Young says not so. She suggests that if such a vote comes to pass, the matter would go back to the courts because the Constitution, and not parliament, is […]
On occasion in the past, mayor of Belize City Darrell Bradley has clashed with his own party on issues of national importance. But it is clear that with regard to the U.H.S. arbitral award, the United Democratic Party has closed ranks on an issue that has always been, at least recently, a bee in their […]
The decision not to pay the UHS loan has serious ramifications for the economy as it relates to investors confidence. The PM is not daunted by the possibility that the already sluggish economy could be affected. Prime Minister Dean Barrow “We don’t know how the house will vote, but assuming the house votes no, […]
Millions of dollars worth of medication are being stored in five containers at a Ministry of Health facility in Ladyville. The meds have expired; some are no longer used in the health system or were donated and of poor quality. The medications, we have learnt are to be discarded, disposed of by the Solid Waste […]
The GDP grew by zero point five percent for the last quarter. As you heard on Wednesday, the SIB’s stats for the last quarter- July to September – show marginal growth when compared to the same quarter last year. At Wednesday’s press conference, the SIB also shared the latest on prices and external trade. According […]
It’s November thirtieth and that means the Hurricane Season has closed. The 2017 Hurricane Season lived up to expectations as a very active one, forecasted to be above average and it was, with seventeen named storms – and only six didn’t hit land. Belize was lucky to have escaped from the six major hurricanes – these […]
An open house was held at the Inspiration Center today, where stakeholders from various government agencies participated in a discussion on children and poverty. The session is part of an ongoing initiative being led by UNICEF, the Ministry of Human Development and the Organization of American States. Doctor Susan Kasedde, UNICEF’s Country Representative in Belize […]
The Memorial Park has not fared as well as its counterparts, the B.T.L. Park and Battlefield Park, as a source of economic development for Belize City. This is despite its prime location in the heart of the tourism zone and right next to the Tourism Village. The Belize Tourism Board and the Village have been […]
Nine more streets across the Old Capital are being re-done with concrete as the Belize City Council gears up for municipal elections next year. The over-two million dollar project, done by RJB Construction, was funded through monies sourced from leftovers of the Municipal Bond funding in which over one hundred streets were re-done. Mayor Darrel […]
But a common complaint about some of the concreted streets especially those done in the early days of the Municipal Bond funding, is that wear and tear have caused them to break up significantly. It is an issue the City Council has grappled with and today Mayor Darrell Bradley said the Council will get behind […]
Getting a business off the ground can be a daunting prospect for any entrepreneur. Today, an event took place that brought together players from many sectors who offered support on how to start up a business from concept to financing. News Five’s Duane Moody reports. Duane Moody, Reporting The third Annual National Entrepreneurship Convention […]
Prime Minister Dean Barrow finally broke his silence today exactly one week after the Caribbean Court of Justice delivered a ruling in which it granted leave to the Belize Bank to pursue the enforcement of a ninety million dollar award. That compensation is in respect of a mounting debt which stems from a private loan […]
The Prime Minister is duty-bound to table a proposal in the House of Representatives at its next sitting requesting the appropriation of that eight-figure sum from the Consolidated Revenue Fund based on the ruling of the CCJ. In tandem with the Crown Proceedings Act and the Constitution of Belize, the process that government now has […]
According to the PM, the mandate of the CCJ does not extend to parliament so it can be struck down by a majority vote. In this case, he says the debt will remain unpaid because the CCJ cannot compel parliament to pay. This scenario will be a first for Belize for government to table a […]
With most ministers already saying no, the PM says that a conscience vote will end with U.D.P. parliamentarians voting against the bill. In this instance, interest will admittedly continue to accrue past the ninety million dollars, because the debt will not go away from the Government’s balance sheet and in essence, he is kicking the […]
Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington has gone on record to chide the CCJ, after losing an appeal in respect of a private land dispute involving Progresso Heights. He soundly criticized the bench by stating that he was denied a fair chance to present his case before the appellate jurisdiction, perhaps because of a preconceived notion that […]
Until the UHS debt is settled, the outstanding balance continues to accrue interest at a rate of seventeen percent monthly. Is government’s refusal to pay the debt an act of irresponsibility on its part? Here’s the Prime Minister’s response to that question. Prime Minister Dean Barrow “History is replete with examples of debt that […]
This afternoon, the Belize Bank issued a brief release in response to the Prime Minister’s statements. It reads: “The Belize Bank does not concur with the views expressed by the Prime Minister and Government of Belize representatives at today’s press conference concerning the decision of the CCJ and the Bank’s ability to enforce payment of […]
The People’s United Party held a parliamentary caucus this evening, a meeting which lasted for the better part of two hours. Despite the lengthy discussion on the UHS debt and listening intently to what the prime minister had to say earlier today, the P.U.P. is yet to formalize a united position on the matter. But […]
There’s a possibility that the People’s United Party may return to power in 2020, and with the UHS debt being kicked around like the political football it has since become, it can land squarely at the feet of the P.U.P. So what would the prospective prime minister do to address the issue of the unpaid […]
The Prime Ministerial press conference delayed today’s Senate Special Select Committee hearing in Belmopan. The sole witness was former Acting Director of the Immigration Department, Maria Marin, who served in that role between February and September of 2013, the last seven months covered by the Auditor General’s Report, and thereafter until April of 2016 when […]
Marin noted that despite the original desires expressed by Minister Godwin Hulse and then-C.E.O. Candelaria Saldivar-Morter to support a clean-up in the department, they clashed immediately over the approval of visa applications recommended and supported by Government Ministers. Marin says the Ministry demanded control despite new reforms put in place at the start of Marin’s […]
Accompanied by attorney Darrell Bradley, Marin then answered questions from the reduced panel of senators led by Pro-tem chair Mark Lizarraga. She confirmed that the process for visa applications with recommendations by Ministers outlined by the Immigration Minister, Godwin Hulse, went against established procedure. But did Hulse and Saldivar-Morter deliberately ignore the protocols to please […]
The Gross Domestic Product grew by zero point five percent for the last quarter. According to the Statistic Institute of Belize, this is on par with last year’s growth for the same period. The report shows that production in bananas dropped by four percent and lobster and shrimp combined saw a fifteen percent decrease in […]
