So with all that said, the government will step in, right? Belizeans remember in late 2015 when a tropical depression flooded the south side and brought U.D.P. politicians with relief galore, including new appliances and money. We’re talking millions in disaster relief. But there’s a difference now. For one, there’s no major election in a […]
Was the City Council prompt in addressing the issue of debris and sludge when NEMO announced an all-clear on Thursday morning? Some would argue that the response wasn’t fast enough. According to Mayor Bradley, his team sprung into action immediately after they were given the nod to commence remedial works. He says that while work […]
Like in agriculture, there was good and bad news in tourism. The good news is that all tourists in the country prior to the storm were placed in safe accommodations and are accounted for. But then there’s that really bad news. Karen Bevans, Director of Tourism “In looking at the preliminary assessment and our biggest […]
The Belize City Council has embarked on a massive cleanup campaign of the Old capital. Agencies such as the Red Cross are joining in the effort, giving a helping hand to persons still at shelters. Food and water are at the top of list. News Five’s Duane Moody reports. Duane Moody, Reporting In the […]
In the prime tourist destination, San Pedro, the popular Costa Maya festival has been cancelled. The influx of persons expected to attend has dropped dramatically so the festival has had to be called off. Within the island, residents are picking up the pieces where possible. A number of small and fragile establishments were battered and […]
Hurricane Earl drenched Belize on Wednesday night packing ferocious winds of up to eighty miles per hour. The hurricane made landfall after midnight near Belize City and moved westward. The city and the rest of the Belize District felt the full brunt of the storm which caused water levels to rise significantly. Residents experienced water […]
Today, the Belize City Council mobilized immediately after the hurricane and began cleanup efforts in the Old Capital. Debris, trees, zinc from roofs and other objects are littering the streets. Mayor Darrell Bradley says that with help from the B.D.F., the city will return to normalcy. Darrell Bradley, Belize City Mayor “If you could […]
City folks began bracing up for the storm since Wednesday morning. Visitors evacuated the islands. Hundreds moved to shelters in both the north and south sides of the city. More than a thousand persons left their homes for safer ground. But many others chose to remain where they were, putting their lives at risk when […]
The weather system also caused three barges to run aground near the Belize City harbor. This morning, the B.S.I. vessel collided near the Baron Bliss Lighthouse and remained there until just before midday when the Swing Bridge was swung to allow for a tugboat to pull the barge away. CEMO Coordinator Phillip Willoughby told News […]
Today, Prime Minister Dean Barrow called a press conference to update the public on all things Earl – from the damage caused in various sectors to the appeal for relief. He started, quite rightly, by paying tribute to stakeholders who played a vital role before and during the storm, particularly the Police Department, B.D.F. and […]
Prime Minister Dean Barrow explained that while Area Representatives across the political board will be used for input, no money will be given to them to disburse. All beneficiaries will be handled through NEMO. In addition and parallel to that short-term assistance, GOB will be looking at aid from the international community. Prime Minister […]
A News Five team is in Burrell Boom tonight where the eye of the storm is expected to pass and residents are expected to experience winds of about seventy-five miles per hour. So far, a number of residents are hesitant in leaving their homes. The chairperson of the village, Merlene Baptist-Pandy is making a desperate […]
We headed over to the shelters in Burrell Boom where we spoke to a family of seven who left their home in the nearby Fresh Pond community seeking safety. Their arrival at the shelter was just prior to the upgrading of the storm to a hurricane. Fourteen year old Angie Cowo explains. Angie Cowo, […]
Turning to political matters….on Monday, the Prime Minister announced a small reshuffle of his Cabinet, in effect taking only the Police Department away from John Saldivar who now becomes the Minister of Defense. He has expressed a hope that this will put an end to what has been a bizarre saga, but that hope seems […]
We were able to bring you the most significant morsels in Monday’s lengthy conference, but tonight we can shine somewhat of a spotlight on the players in the reshuffle. The Prime Minister has referred to Senator Minister Godwin Hulse as his firefighter who has been sent into extremely corrupt ministries to create some sort of […]
And just as Hulse enjoys the full support of the Prime Minister, so does Attorney General and now Minister of Natural Resources, Vanessa Retreage. She entered the political forefront in November 2015, but Barrow says she has been blazing a trail. Prime Minister Dean Barrow “She has been a splendid Attorney General. I worried […]
The A.G. will have her work cut out for her in the Ministry of Natural Resources, as she had and still has at the Vital Statistics Department which falls within her portfolio. Vital Statistics has been allowed to operate as another hotbed of corruption and incompetence, seemingly without check, balance or supervision. The birth certificate […]
Retreage is expected to be savior number two at the Ministry of Natural Resources, following up on the foundation set by savior number one, Godwin Hulse. As a point of interest, former Minister of Natural Resources Gaspar Vega was seated front and center at the press conference on Monday. We can’t imagine that he was […]
And tonight’s question is: Do you believe the Minister of National Security should be removed from cabinet? Send your comments and responses using your SMART phones to 8686 or post your vote on our e-poll at channel5belize.com. You can also send an email with your comments to questions@channel5belize.com
In Monday’s newscast we told you about NEMO C.E.O. Ruth Meighan’s unfortunate experience in Houston where she was denied entry to the U.S. Meighan, a senior official in the Prime Minister’s administration, has not provided an explanation, but today News Five was able to confirm that her visa was revoked some time ago. Meighan, according […]
Superintendent Mark Flowers is out on bail and on interdiction from the Belize Police Department. Following his arraignment for unlawful sexual intercourse against a minor last week, a family reached out to us on the allegations and how it has affected the community at Blackman Eddy where Flowers’ farm is located. News Five’s Isani Cayetano […]
As you’ve seen, from all accounts Earl will be visiting Belize, arriving as an unwelcome guest sometime Wednesday night. NEMO has been activated since Monday, with shelters ready and all hands on deck, including the B.D.F. News Five spoke to Commander David Jones to get an idea of the military’s deployment on the eve of […]
And since we had the opportunity, we also asked about an issue which has been pushed to the backburner simply because there’s no more space on the front-burner. What’s the status of the Belize Guatemala talks on a protocol government access to the Sarstoon? Jones says it’s in the works, but in the meantime all […]
As Tropical Storm Earl approaches Belize, some residents are heading to the supermarkets, gas stations and hardware and other stores to purchase food, water and fuel and other necessities that factor in their preparedness plan. The Supplies Control Unit of the Belize Bureau of Standards has issued a release on gouging. In a release it […]
One event that is being affected by Tropical Storm Earl is the annual Costa Maya Festival being held in San Pedro this weekend. The organization issued a statement late this evening to announce changes in the program of events. The Reina de la Costa Maya International Pageant, which was set for Thursday, August fourth, has […]
